Whether you’re potty training, navigating your teen’s first relationship, or anything in between, it can be beneficial to have advice from parents who’ve been through it and professionals who can help you navigate the changing seasons of your child’s life. Parenting books can provide guidance, support, and strategies to help you feel more comfortable and effective in your parenting style, so we’ve rounded up a list of our top ten books for you to check out.
10 Recommended Books to Add to Your To-Be-Read Shelf
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
This book continues to be on best-seller lists year after year. It has even been coined the “parenting bible” by The Boston Globe. The great thing about this gem is that it is incredibly helpful for parents with children of any age.
The Five Love Languages of Children
When The 5 Love Languages was introduced to the world, just about every couple out there was dedicated to learning their love language, their partner’s love language, and integrating ways in which both partners could be happy and fulfilled. This book offers the same approach to understanding your child’s love language and how to speak to them in a way that makes sense and helps them feel seen, heard, and loved thoroughly.,
Between Parent and Child
This classic parenting book by renowned Psychologist Dr. Haim Ginnot has helped millions of parents worldwide strengthen communication patterns with their children. This book offers many techniques to help parents on their journey. A few strategies worth mentioning are how to discipline children without threats or punishment, praise without judging, and express anger without hurting. You'll find plenty more if you decide to give this one a read. This book aims to improve communication with your child in a way that helps them build trust and self-confidence.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families
This title probably sounds familiar due to Stephen R. Covey’s first major work, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In this edition, Covey discusses why and how to have family meetings, the importance of keeping promises, balancing individual and family needs, and shifting from dependence to interdependence. This book is revolutionary for families of all kinds.
Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle While Other Kids Shine
The title sums it up on this one. This book points out what we all know to be true — some kids find success more easily than others. It breaks down the teachable traits that thriving children carry and how you can teach them these same skills to find their success and thrive in their unique ways.
The “Me, Me, Me” Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World
It’s not shocking to read that our children are constantly overstimulated and instantly gratified in today’s world. The “me, me, me” epidemic is a real struggle for parents with the rise of social media and children having access to whatever they want at their fingertips. This is your go-to book if you want to connect with your kiddo in deep and meaningful ways, if you’re struggling with empowering your children versus granting their every wish, and if you want to teach them the importance of compassion and gratitude towards others.
The Whole-Brain Child
This book offers 12 age-appropriate strategies that work with your child’s developing brain instead of against it, providing practical solutions to the struggles your child may be facing that you can begin implementing right away.
The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children
We love this book because it encourages parents to look deeply at themselves, their psychological patterns, and their emotional awareness. When parents are conscious of their own traumas, triggers, and limiting beliefs, they can more effectively pass down a positive mindset and healthy way of life to their children. This book is a holistic approach to parenting and helps parents build mutually fulfilling and lasting relationships with their children.
The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids In a
Culture of Dependence
Jessica Lahey, the author of this best-seller, comes from a family with a long history of substance abuse. She knows, from experience, that children from any background are at risk of developing addictions and bad habits. This book is a resource for parents to prevent substance abuse or dependence and ensure their children lead healthy, happy lives.
Parenting Apart: How Separated and Divorced Parents Can Raise Happy and Secure Kids
This is a must-read for co-parents or divorced/separated parents. This book discusses how divorce, separation, or co-parenting impacts children. Beneficial regardless of your children’s ages, this book helps you create a game plan for parenting your kids in a loving, lasting way.