Parents these days are under a great deal of pressure to be “perfect.” From psychologists to social scientists, journalists to weekend bloggers, everyone has an opinion about the do’s and don’ts for raising healthy, well-adjusted—and let’s not forget, polite—children in today’s fast-paced world. Where does this leave parents? Too often, lacking in confidence, ill equipped, and overwhelmed.

Parenting expert Vicki Hoefle makes the bold claim that it’s time for parents to get off the perfection path and get back to the real job of parenting: to grow a grown-up. In this no-nonsense parenting guide, Hoefle draws upon twenty-five years of experience with helping parents see the big picture and sidestep what she calls the “detail drama” that too often trumps everyday life with our kids. Parents learn more than just strategies; they learn a methodology that allows them to help their toddlers build a strong foundation for success in adulthood.

In her trademark, tell-it-like-it-is style, Hoefle tells parents to trust their intuition and develop an intentional strategy for meeting each child’s unique needs. Above all, The Straight Talk on Parenting offers the confidence-boosting reminder that parenting is about practice (and a healthy dose of humor), not perfection.