Chapter 5: What Makes A Perfect Parent?

In this chapter the authors ask from a variety of angles a pressing question: Do parents really matter?

The chapter discusses developments such as the conversion of parenting from an art to a science. Parenting experts today like to scare parents to death. Why is that? Because there is a lot one can gain by using the economics of fear. Obsessive parents and the nature/nurture quagmire – just as unsolvable as the chicken-or-the-egg conundrum!


Yet again, figures and data from a public schooling system, the duo distilled the perfect explanation. They admit it this explanation is highly underrated. Especially by high-flying parental experts, who would shudder at its simplicity. It is not what you do to or around the child that really matters all that much in essence. Instead it is whom you are that matters. If you have a healthy life, your child is much more likely to be successful than if you have an unstable life but take your child to the museum thrice a week and read them Shakespeare at night!