Dear Parents,

Parenting is hard. And it is exhausting. You care for your child the best you can by making sure he has what he needs and that he gets where he needs to go. You enroll him in the best school and the program that nurtures his talents. You discipline him and have those difficult conversations. You pour your heart and soul into this child and make the best choices you can about everything from car seats to college.

And the entire time you wonder, “Am I doing it right?”

My message to you no matter what stage of parenting you are in …simplify. When it comes to what a child needs and wants, the answer is always the same. Son or daughter, teen or toddler, what your child really wants, is you. It’s that simple.

How do I know this?

Because your kids have told me.

Over the past 30 years in my practice, I have heard them say things about you that would knock your socks off. Things like: you worry too much, you work too hard, laugh too little and obsess about your weight for no good reason.

Your kids know you and guess what? (I hope…