---
product_id: 28897334
title: "The Idle Parent: Why Laid-Back Parents Raise Happier and Healthier Kids Paperback – May 13, 2010"
brand: "tom hodgkinson"
price: "A$29"
currency: AUD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 6
url: https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/28897334-the-idle-parent-why-laid-back-parents-raise-happier-healthier
store_origin: AU
region: Australia
---

# The Idle Parent: Why Laid-Back Parents Raise Happier and Healthier Kids Paperback – May 13, 2010

**Brand:** tom hodgkinson
**Price:** A$29
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Idle Parent: Why Laid-Back Parents Raise Happier and Healthier Kids Paperback – May 13, 2010 by tom hodgkinson
- **How much does it cost?** A$29 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.au](https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/28897334-the-idle-parent-why-laid-back-parents-raise-happier-healthier)

## Best For

- tom hodgkinson enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted tom hodgkinson brand quality
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## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![The Idle Parent: Why Laid-Back Parents Raise Happier and Healthier Kids Paperback – May 13, 2010 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81pPOm49nTL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you need to persuade someone that it's okay to give the kids some space, this is for you
*by M***R on August 19, 2017*

I didn't love the writing, but the concepts are laudable - the author is basically saying "let's all back off our kids and have some more fun with this parenting thing" and if you agree with that but have family that struggles with that concept, this book might be an effective way to lend credibility to your approach. If you're already 100% on board and supported with that approach, this book doesn't offer much in the way of new ideas. That said, I'm such a fan of the entire concept of giving our kids space, and I'm happy that this book exists for people who DO need a persuasive, somewhat redundant text - so I'm happy to give it 5 stars. I don't know if I'd recommend it to other parents who are already fully embracing this* lifestyle.*letting kids be bored, giving plenty of unstructured playtime, ensuring that parents needs are met, considering the whole family when committing to activities, lots of other pretty basic stuff.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Book - of course, you can't base your parenting solely on one book!
*by J***H on August 13, 2013*

This book is a comfort to parents who are just doing what they can -- and for parents who might sometimes feel guilty for not playing with their children every moment of every day. This book asserts that children NEED to develop self-sufficiency, and being a little more hands-off might just be a good thing for your child. HE may be a little too Rousseauian for my taste, but makes great -- and FUNNY -- points!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Turns out my wife is...
*by J***D on September 8, 2011*

After reading the The Freedom Manifesto: How to Free Yourself from Anxiety, Fear, Mortgages, Money, Guilt, Debt, Government, Boredom, Supermarkets, Bills, Melancholy, Pain, Depression, Work, and Waste I visited Tom's website to find out he wrote a book on parenting. For years I've been very much against the reading of parenting books which seem to cause more harm than good... but, being a fan of Tom, I decided to give this book a try. I'm glad I did! Yes the book needs to be read with a grain of salt but the advice is brilliant and it's so well written. In fact, the only problem I have with the book is that my wife has been doing most of these things (unplugging the tv, avoiding supermarkets, etc) for years while I have been fighting her the entire way.I must say I've never been so glad to have been proven wrong (by my wife and Tom)! This book works!-John Konrad author of Fire on the Horizon: The Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Idle Parent: Why Laid-Back Parents Raise Happier and Healthier Kids
- How to Be Idle: A Loafer's Manifesto
- The Freedom Manifesto: How to Free Yourself from Anxiety, Fear, Mortgages, Money, Guilt, Debt, Government, Boredom, Supermarkets, Bills, Melancholy, Pain, Depression, Work, and Waste

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*Product available on Desertcart Australia*
*Store origin: AU*
*Last updated: 2026-03-09*