Be Good, Stay Strong, Love, Dad: A GenX Dad in a Digital World by Patrick McLaughlin (Book Review)

Patrick McLaughlin has made one of the hardest choices a parent can make and that is to say goodbye to his two sons as they walk down their respective paths in life, the oldest into college and the youngest into the academy. For something like this, there isn’t a rulebook that one can read to help him as his children see to their futures, nor is there a self-help guide that his children can look to when they need his guidance while they are away.

With these things in mind, Patrick McLaughlin decides to write a few letters…

There is a quote that says “To let go gracefully is an art form many parents must perfect,” and there is no better book that proves this quote true than Patrick McLaughlin’s Be Good, Stay Strong, Love, Dad: A GenX Dad in a Digital World.

To Preface, my parents are GenX, so I was raised primarily as a GenXer, from using their lingo, listening to their music, and growing up in a world where the internet and social media was barely a glimmer in its creator’s mind and while I’m not a parent, one of my biggest dreams is to become a father so when this book came to my attention, the book resonated with me due to these two factors. In between the GenX humor, lingo, and street savoir-faire, are the heartfelt letters from Patrick to his sons that not only give them valuable advice, but the wisdom he accrued growing up in the Wild West that was the forgotten generation while also giving the readers insight to his mind during the events surrounding each letter.

However, you don’t need to be a GenXer or a parent (or parent-hopeful) to enjoy this. This book, in Patrick’s words, isn’t about a GenX father raising his children, it’s about him learning to let them go. The writing is solid, with Patrick’s personality radiating off of every page and the general advice he gives in the letters to his two sons is sound, which readers can take and apply to their own lives or teachings to their own children.

But if readers take anything away from this book, it’s the overall message that Patrick leaves with. While letting go of the child(ren) you’ve nurtured and raised is one of the hardest things you will ever do, learn to let them go to achieve their future with grace. Whether it’s by a handwritten letter, email, text, or in person, just know that they will always need you and sometimes in the end, you just have to have faith that the things you’ve done will help them blossom into the person they yearn to be.

With the top-notch writing and the sheer dedication of the author compiling years of personal correspondence, this book earns a heartfelt recommendation from me. ★★★★★ – Elijah B. (Explore Authors Magazine)

Where to buy: eBook edition

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