Dr. Becky Kennedy professes in the Introduction that she steers away from mainstream and commonly suggested behavioral modification techniques and strategies that involve reward and punishment. While she was initially trained in these parenting approaches, she realized that they didn’t feel right to her and developed a different approach rooted in attachment theory, the internal family systems model, and mindfulness. This eventually birthed the “Good Inside” approach, which began as parenting advice doled out on social media before evolving into parenting workshops, a podcast, and ultimately this book.

Dr. Kennedy’s approach is part of a growing trend in parenting, especially among millennial parents, termed respectful parenting or “gentle parenting.” The approach eschews traditional forms of reward and punishment and other direct behavioral approaches in favor of examining the feelings and motivations that underlie behavior, which encourages both parents and children to be more self-aware (Moscatello, Caitlin. “Welcome to the Era of Very Earnest Parenting.” The New York Times, 13 May 2023). “Gentle parenting” encompasses a number of different emotionally focused parenting styles, some of which are criticized as being permissive. However, Dr. Kennedy firmly asserts that her approach does not equal permissiveness; being an empathetic parent does not mutually exclude holding firm boundaries with children.