The most important thing you can do is become a better dad.

Hey, dad.
(Or soon-to-be dad.)
We get it.
You’re busy. You’re distracted. You’re under pressure.
But you do love your kids more than anything.
You want them to have really good lives.
You’re doing the best you can.
But you know what, you can do better.
The ideas in this book can help.
Try two or three or five and you’ll be a better dad.
Maybe a whole lot better.
So turn the page, dad.
You’re in.
You just made a big commitment.
1 hour.

Most parents do a pretty good job of raising kids, says psychologist Laurence Steinberg, but truly effective parenting means not just relying on natural instincts but also on knowing what works and why. In "The Ten Basic Principles of Good Parenting, " Dr. Steinberg distills decades of research into a parenting book that explains the fundamentals of raising happy, healthy children, giving readers an invaluable map to help them navigate parenthood from infancy to adolescence.

Dr. Steinberg found that the basic principles for effective parenting are simple and universal, and apply to all parents and children regardless of background. He explains each principle and shows how to put it into action, using anecdotes and examples: from "What You Do Matters" (parents make an enormous difference; children are not simply the product of their genes) to "Establish Rules and Limits" (how to provide structure in your child's life, and how to handle conflicts over rules) and "Help Foster Your Child's Independence" (help your child think through decisions instead of making them for him or her). Concise and authoritative, written with warmth and compassion, "The Ten Basic Principles of Good Parenting" is an intelligent guide to raising a happy, healthy child and to becoming a happier, more confident parent in the process.