The Last Parenting Book You'll Ever Read

""For anyone who went into parenting with the vague idea that the aim was to successfully get the kids to their 18th birthdays (or college graduation) in one piece and then--ta-da!--you'd be at the finish line, this book feels like a wise, compassionate, and necessary reality check. In sharing her own experience parenting teens and launching young adults, Francis gives a full picture of this bumpy and beautiful phase of motherhood--and midlife--while inviting us to reclaim parts of ourselves that took a backseat during the more intensive early years. I loved this book, and the reminder that my role as mom is shifting, not ending; that it's important and imperfect; and that I can take small steps now to create a rich, fulfilling life when, someday, the nest is truly empty."" -- Sarah Powers, co-host of The Mom Hour podcast ""As parents, how do we evolve from the 'arms full' to the 'hands free' stage of family life, as our children leave the nest? With cutting-edge research, practical suggestions, humor, and many stories from her own experience as the mother of a big family, writer Meagan Francis provides an invaluable resource for anyone making this bittersweet transition--with both its pitfalls and its possibilities."" -- Gretchen Rubin, bestselling author of The Happiness Project and host of the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast