Connection
A Year of Great Conversations with Your Teen
A practical guide to helping parents build meaningful conversations and stronger connections with their pre-teens and teenagers.
"Essential reading for parents and those involved in the education of teenagers."
Julie Lythcott-Haims
About the book
When today’s world, and certainly tomorrow’s world, looks so different from the world we grew up in, as parents we grapple with complex and urgent questions: How do we talk with our children so that we nurture resilience? How do we prepare young people for an uncertain future? How can we help our teenagers flourish and stay strong mentally when so many are struggling?
This book helps parents talk about these matters with their kids, especially pre-teens and teenagers. It bridges the gap between mundane realities (going to school, being on social media, falling out with friends) and timeless philosophical inquiries (who we are, how we aspire to be, how we find fulfilment), while offering specific, practical guidance to support us to build deeper connections with our kids.
Resources for Better Conversations
Explore two free resources designed to help parents and groups have meaningful conversations with teenagers.
Praise for Connection
“A beautifully crafted system to help parents engage kids in critical thinking about the small decisions that will become their behavioral compass. At once empathetic, wise, and deeply practical, this is a must-read for parents and educators of teens.”
Julie Lythcott-Haims
New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult
“An essential guide for building family trust and having deeper, more effective conversations.”
Laurie Santos
Professor of Psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab
“My biggest mistake was not spending enough time with my children. It could have been avoided if only Nick Alchin had written this beautiful book a few decades ago. Current and future parents need not repeat it.”
Kishore Mahbubani
Former Singapore Ambassador to the UN
“Communication is a craft. This guide is shot through with advice and examples that are deeply wise.”
Guy Claxton
Emeritus Professor of the Learning Sciences, University of Winchester
“By listening more deeply to our children, we not only help shape who they become, but are transformed ourselves. An inspiring, thought-provoking guide for any parent who wants to raise thoughtful, resilient young people and, in the process, become a better human being.”
Andreas Schleicher
Director for Education and Skills, OECD
“This is the book all parents need right now. Nick Alchin has written the perfect blend of grounded meditation and actionable guide to connecting – or reconnecting – with our teens as they seek stability and direction in an uncertain world.”
Parag Khanna
Author of MOVE: Where People Are Going for a Better Future
“Nick Alchin shows that parenting can be a source of deep reflection, and a period of human growth, not only for the child, but also for the parent.”
Olli-Pekka Heinonen
Director General, International Baccalaureate
“Neither an academic treatise nor a new age trope, this remarkable book is full of wisdom, wit and guidance for anyone – not just parents – wishing to hold constructive conversations with others – not just teenagers.”
Roger Sutcliffe
Author of Thinking Moves A–Z
“A compelling read about the human side of parenting, with all our human faults.”
Jane Larsson
Executive Director, Council of International Schools
Pre-order your copy
Connection will be published by Bloomsbury in March 2027. Choose your preferred retailer to pre-order the book.
Pre-order → Amazon (US)
Pre-order → Amazon (Singapore)
Pre-order → Books-a-Million
Pre-order → Waterstones
Pre-order →
ISBN: 9798216464143
Have a question about Connection?
Whether you’re a parent, educator or reading group organiser, feel free to get in touch with Nick if you have any questions about the book or its resources.