Parents sometimes forget that they are in charge and that their job is not to please or be friends with their children but to take care of them and keep them safe. The most difficult part of being a parent is not mastering parenting techniques but adhering to them when their children push back. Being the Grownup, a groundbreaking exploration of the parent-child relationship, demonstrates how and when to be in charge, and how to strike the balance between parental responsibility and a child’s growing independence.   Children need adults to survive. Despite the profound changes the digital era has wrought on family life, this remains the essence of parenthood. Being the Grownup helps parents translate their determination to care for and protect their children into a voice and stance that will communicate authority, for bedtime, screen-time, and all matters of daily life. Confident expressions of both love and limits give parents the chance to be the grownup their children rely on to grow and thrive.