Dr. Amy and her Godson, Brooks. She’s CRAZY about him!

I’m sitting here writing Chapter 8 of my new book, Crazy About That Kid. It’s for parents and professionals who care for children (and if you’re reading this, that’s you). The whole premise is simple, but not always easy:

Kids don’t just need rules.
They need relationships.
They need at least one adult who is wildly, stubbornly, irrationally committed to them. 

Urie Bronfenbrenner said it best: “Every child needs at least one adult in their lives who is irrationally crazy about them.” And yes—irrationally is the key word. Not “when you’re easy.” Not “when you’re impressive.” Not “when you’re regulated.” Not “when your report card looks pretty.”

I mean: even when you’re falling apart. Even when you’re being a lot. Even when you’re hard to love. 

And as I’m writing this chapter, with all the uncertainty and unsettledness in the world right now, I keep thinking: this matters more than ever. 

Because scared children in classrooms don’t need more pressure—they need more safety.
Families being separated don’t need more judgment—they need compassion and protection.
Communities that feel divided don’t need louder opinions—they need steadier connection.
Parents don’t need one more thing on their to-do list—they need steadiness, solace, and a reminder that they’re not alone. 

And you know what keeps echoing in my head? 

“What the world needs now, is love, sweet love…”
Jackie DeShannon said it. Dionne Warwick made it famous. And honestly? It still holds up. (If you haven’t watched a good rendition lately, go find one and let yourself feel it for three minutes. Consider it a nervous system reset.) 

Here’s what I know:
When the world feels unsteady, love becomes leadership.
Not mushy love. Not permissive love. I mean the kind of love that says: 

• “I’m here.” 
• “I see you.” 
• “You can fall apart and I’m not going anywhere.” 

So, I want to offer a simple invitation this week: 

Be irrationally crazy about a kid, a neighbor, a parent, a friend. 

In a real way. 

Pick one child—your own, your student, your nephew, your neighbor, the kid who tests everyone’s patience—and do one of these: 

1. Delight in them out loud.
   “I’m really glad you’re here.” / “I love being your adult.” / “You matter to me.” 
2. Stay steady when they’re wobbly.
   Your calm is contagious. Your presence is medicine. 
3. Repair quickly when you miss it.
   “I didn’t handle that the way I wanted to. I’m sorry. Can we try again?”
   (It’s never too late to reset. Never.) 

Because the truth is: kids don’t need perfect adults. They need present ones. It needs more people who are crazy about kids—on purpose.