New book highlights the benefits of Lighthouse Parenting in raising emotionally healthy children who have deep, lifelong relationships with their parents

CHICAGO: Guiding kids and tweens through their formative years has always been a delicate balancing act, filled both with the joys and the challenges of their growing independence. But today’s parents face unique hurdles: the ever-present screens, the positive and negative impact of social media, the looming threat of climate change, and fears around school violence. In Lighthouse Parenting: Raising Your Child with Loving Guidance for a Lifelong Bond (American Academy of Pediatrics; March 2025), leading adolescent health expert Dr. Kenneth R. Ginsburg offers a practical and compassionate approach to navigating this uncertain moment while also setting the foundation for lifelong relationships.

 Ginsburg, the founding director of the Center for Parent and Teen Communication at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, presents the metaphor of a lighthouse—steady, reliable and guiding without being overbearing. This framework provides a balanced alternative to extreme parenting trends, equipping families to raise emotionally healthy kids who thrive academically, build resilience and maintain lifelong connections with their parents. Packed with evidence-based strategies and actionable advice, Lighthouse Parenting empowers parents to foster open communication, mutual respect and clear expectations while nurturing their child’s emotional well-being.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s vital that parents model stability and consistency in trying times
• The goal is to have children transition into productive, independent adults. That process starts by opening up clear and honest pathways of communication during childhood
• Parents must find the balance between protecting their child and allowing them the space to fail
• Our children will be in our lives long after they’re grown. The best time to establish a relationship of mutual respect is in/during childhood

About the Author

Kenneth R. Ginsburg, MD, MS Ed, FAAP, practices adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. He is the founding director of the Center for Parent and Teen Communication. His books include Congrats—You’re Having a Teen! and Building Resilience in Children and Teens. He is the father of two young adults and lives in Philadelphia, PA.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.