Post sponsored by the Johnson County Library
No matter what stage of parenting you’re in, a new to you parenting book may be just what you need to give you some new approaches to handling whatever phase your kids are going through. Short on time to sit down with a book at home? Check out an eBook or audiobook on the Libby app.
Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, From Birth to Preschool
By Emily Oster
Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be
By Dr. Becky Kennedy
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
By Adele Faber
If you feel like your kids never listen to you, and you’re always yelling to be heard, this book can help you find a better way to communicate. It is packed with tips for having fewer power struggles and more connection points. There are lots of scenarios broken down in the book using sample dialogue and even cartoons. They cover so much ground including coping with negative feelings, how to express anger without being hurtful, how to set limits, and alternatives to punishment.
No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind.
By Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
This follow-up to their best selling book, “The Whole Brained Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind” shares what kinds of discipline techniques are appropriate for different ages and stages depending on brain development. It helps parents recognize their own discipline philosophy and learn ways to stay calm and connect with their child, while setting appropriate limits. The book is filled with real-life scenarios and stories told with pictures.
Nurtureshock: New Thinking About Children
By Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
This is an older book (published in 2009) but one of my favorites because it’s essentially a book of essays on different parenting topics so you can read it a little bit at a time. Rooted in science and research, each chapter tackles something new like the inverse power of praise, why kids lie, talking to kids about race, and other interesting topics where the research on what is actually effective might surprise you.
Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once and Do It Right.
By Jamie Glowacki
This book came out after we potty-trained our first child using the classic three-day method, but I know from talking to lots of other parents that this book was a very helpful how-to guidebook for all the ins and outs of potty training. The author breaks down how to know your child is ready, how to get yourself mentally prepared for potty training, and how to troubleshoot issues that may come up.
Parenting with Love and Logic: Teaching Children Responsibility
By Foster Cline
At the core of this philosophy is raising self-confident kids with choices, consequences, and empathy. After going over the general philosophy, the book covers 48 strategies for dealing with common parenting issues such as bedtime, getting reading for school, picking up after themselves, and something I definitely need help with: “backseat battles” in the car.
Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parent’s Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital Age
By Julie Bogart
This is a new and very timely book that explores how we teach our children to become critical thinkers and not just blindly accept things they read and hear at face value. It explores the differences in raising kids in a digital age where information is at our fingertips as well as ways to help our kids identify their biases. I especially love the last chapter titled: “The Courage to Change Your Mind.”
Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too
By Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
If you have more than one child, chances are this book could be helpful for you. While siblings will fight, there are ways to head some fights off before they start, ways to help your kids through a fight, and ways to make peace with the past. I love that this book is filled with real-life scenarios and offers scripting to use.
The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed
By Jessica Lahey
Failure has become a dirty word, especially in parenting. This book frames failure as a valuable parenting tool and teaches ways to help kids learn from their mistakes and become more independent. There is an entire section devoted to education which I think most parents could benefit from reading.
