Parent Goals

Establish a strong emotional foundation to transition to new parenthood

Parent Goals is the book to turn to before you make the decision to become a parent. Unlike other books that focus on pregnancy and kids’ life stages, Parent Goals outlines the most important—and least explained—aspects of having children, including emotional readiness, attachment theory, and determining your values as a parent.

Citing current research and drawing from her experience training families looking to adopt, Garrett takes you through the steps of building a strong emotional foundation to transition to this new life phase. Through advice, discussion points to tackle with your partner (if applicable), and hands-on exercises, the author guides you on a readiness journey that includes the following:

• Identifying your reasons for wanting to be a parent
• Unpacking your emotional baggage and personal history
• Determining your values as a parent
• Building sustainable support systems and self-care
• Examining practicalities like finances and division of labor

In addition to offering advice and guidance, Parent Goals is the first book to address the emergence of the co-parenting style popular with Millennials, which involves a more equitable division of labor than we have seen in previous generations. Garrett’s down-to-earth and sometimes cheeky writing style make Parent Goals an accessible and engaging read for the Millennial generation.

Lindsay C.M. Garrett

Lindsay C. M. Garrett, LCSW is an expert in the field of adoption, parent preparation, and child welfare. Lindsay is known for her directness, witty sense of humor, loving others through sharing knowledge, and always having a plan.

Lindsay started writing for Houston Moms’ blog in the same year she became a parent. Her brain tends to sort things out through writing them down, and in her quest to sort through the transition to parenthood, she wrote her first book, Parent Goals: The Millennial’s Guide to New Parent Preparedness.

Publishers Weekly

“If you’re considering parenthood, but you’re not sure what questions you should be asking, how you should emotionally prepare, or what to do to set yourself up for success, this is the book for you. Garrett’s advice is smart, thoughtful, and incredibly useful.”

Melinda Wenner Moyer, contributing editor, Scientific American, and author of How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes

“One of the most challenging parts of parenting is dealing with the unknown. Parent Goals helps demystify those early days and offers parents concrete advice as they prepare for their new roles. By sharing her own experiences and expertise, Garrett helps parents be thoughtful and purposeful in their parenting decisions.”

Dr. Christia Spears Brown, author of Parenting Beyond Pink & Blue and Unraveling Bias

“If you’re looking for your baby’s user manual… well, that doesn’t exist but Parent Goals comes pretty close. Garrett mixes her own story as a mom with her journey as a parenting mental health specialist, and then adds in nuggets of goodness from all the parents she interviewed. Parent Goals is a real honest look at preparing for a baby mixed with optimism and humor.”

Robyn Gobbel, therapist and parent educator

“Parent Goals is the right combination of evidence-based parenting reality, humor, and tangible instruction. This guide provides a clear road map for new parents to ‘all the things I wish I had known.’”

Mark Melson, president of the Gladney Center for Adoption

“This is the book I wish I had read a decade ago. There are countless practical and emotional aspects of parenting I had no idea would impact our lives so dramatically, and Parent Goals gives a framework for parents to talk them through before children enter the scene.”

Elizabeth Baker, editor of Houston Moms blog