Parenting Blind Spots: 25 Things Parents Don’t Know That They Don’t Know (That Can Hurt Their Children) – Book Review
by Mark Seng
This month I have been reading and talking about the Parenting Blind Spots series from Mark Seng, Ed. D. I’ve had nothing but great things to say about each book so far, and this one is no exception.
As a parent, I know from personal experience the many things parents have to worry about. Grades, friendships, screen time, bullying, drugs, behavior, mental health, teachers, homework, social media, and so much more. It can feel overwhelming to think about all the challenges you must face.
And what I also know from experience is that we cannot prepare ourselves for the things we don’t realize are going to be there. If you don’t know to look for it, then it can easily slide under the radar. That’s why these Blind Spots books are so good. Seng intentionally highlights the common blind spots that many parents miss, so you don’t have to learn the hard way.
In this book, Parenting Blind Spots: 25 Things Parents Don’t Know That They Don’t Know (That Can Hurt Their Children) we take a closer look at twenty-five commonly overlooked habits, assumptions, and systems that help shape a child’s academic success, motivation, confidence, and emotional well-being.
The important thing to know upfront is that this is a judgement-free space. Seng writes in a compassionate style that is also plain and easy to understand. No confusing jargon, no condescending tones. Just great, helpful, accessible information.
Each chapter begins with a short, realistic family scenario, and then it explains all the relevant parent and child development research that plays into this scenario. All in plain language you can understand and apply to your own life.
The book doesn’t frame the parents as the problem. Exploring blind spots in parenting shouldn’t feel like a guilt trip. Instead, it should feel more like a trusted friend or mentor giving you a “heads up” so you don’t make similar mistakes.
Another thing I like about this book is that it focuses on resilience. Children are often pressured to achieve more, perform higher, and keep up, but this book encourages parents to look beyond grades and test scores. Good grades don’t always equate a healthy child, and vice versa.
This book asks important questions about anxiety, independence, emotional regulation, social-emotional learning, and whether children are being supported in the ways that prepare them for real life, versus just preparing them for the next assignment.
And the book also has useful guidance for navigating parent-teacher relationships and school systems that may not always seem fair or responsive. Advocating for your child and teaching them how to advocate for themselves is so important.
This book is great for every parent, whether your child is struggling or seems to be doing just fine. It’s always a smart idea to get ahead of problems before they happen. This is a wonderful resource, along with the other books of this Parenting Blind Spots series.
It offers practical strategies, thoughtful reflection questions, and meaningful reminders that helping a child succeed is about more than just behavior charts or perfect grades. It will help you understand your child more, work more effectively with their school, and help support their growth into a resilient, confident person.
See my other reviews on books from this series: