Barnen har inte problem, de har dig
by Lena Forén
About the book
A Swedish parenting book that turns the usual frame on its head: children aren't the ones with the problems — the adults around them are. Lena Forén draws on years of working with families to show how a child's behaviour is often a mirror of the environment, expectations, and emotional regulation of the grown-ups around them. It's warm, direct, and refreshingly honest.
What I thought
What stayed with me most was how much respect this book has for children as full human beings. It gently asks the adult reader to look inward before reaching for advice on how to "fix" a child, and that reframing lands with real weight. Even if you're not a parent, it reads as a kind of primer on emotional responsibility, patience, and self-awareness in any relationship where someone is looking to you for safety. It left me feeling both challenged and hopeful.