Well Rounded Parents by Sydney Salter

I didn't begin writing young adult stories until after I'd become a parent, and I know that has affected the way I portray parents in my work. I have a lot of empathy for the parents in my stories--probably because I understand how difficult it is to parent. 

I like to show the way that a parent's own psychological issues and background affect their children--such as the way a mother's dieting and body image issues translate to the way Jory feels about her appearance in My Big Nose And Other Disasters. 

In Swoon At Your Own Risk, I add mothers and grandmothers to the mix, showing how generations of women affect each other. I also like exploring the relationship between fathers and daughters.

Adding well-rounded parents to young adult stories adds a richness and complexity to the dynamics between the characters.