At Parentingsimply.com we run classes all the time! But sometimes parents can’t make it and they ask me what else they can do to sharpen their parenting skills. Here are my top three parenting books that I recommend:
If you are not a reader and you think you will only read one parenting book in your lifetime, this is it. This should come in the free diaper bags that they give you at the hospital when your baby is born. No even better, it should come along with the purchase of any pregnancy test.
1. “How To Talk So Kids Will Listen” by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
Faber and Mazlish’s writing is warm and fun but not fuzzy. They talk about the parenting mistakes they made and how they tried to improve themselves. They give off a “we have made many parenting mistakes and we still continue to make parenting mistakes but for the most part we have found a much better way” vibe, that makes you feel comfortable instead of guilty.
The name of the book says it all. It really teaches you how to talk and get through to your kids. Faber and Mazlish walk you through countless parenting scenarios. They outline specific techniques to help you communicate effectively with your children and they work!
They also spend a lot of time explaining how children think and feel, giving you tremendous insight into the minds of children. The best part is the comics that illustrate the skills you need to know.
All in all it is an entertaining, easy read where you learn so much.
You can get it right here:
2. “Siblings Without Rivalry”:
Again, another outstanding book by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.
This book gives you the best skills out there to handle one of the toughest problems of parenting, sibling rivalry, as you might have guessed from the name of the book.
I have read many books on this topic and none have come close to this one. The authors discuss the reasons behind sibling rivalry and simple ways to help you manage it. Parents are given specific tools to learn how to accept kids feelings and help kids express their angry feelings about their siblings.
Struggling with how to treat kids equally? Want real ideas on how to stop your kids from fighting? Think you can’t get your kids to solve their own conflicts? This book shows you how to manage it all with simple and practical advice.
The authors constructed the book so that parents feel as if they are a part of an actual parenting workshop. Each chapter begins with information on helping parents understand the feelings and the philosophy behind common sibling problems. Then the frustrated “workshop parents” honestly reveal their worst problems and fears. They ask questions that most parents would like to ask and they work out solutions that make sense.
The mood of the book is warm and fun. Seems pretty admirable when you consider the topic is sibling rivalry.
Did I mention that Faber and Mazlish use comics to illustrate the skills that they teach? It doesn’t get better than that.
You can get it right here:
3. Raising A Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
Don’t get scare of the title, even if you don’t have “spirited” (a nice way of saying “difficult”) this book has a lot of great information for you.
What I love about this book is that it gave me a solid knowledge of personality and temperamental differences and a deeper understanding of how all people work. It taught me how to be more tolerant, respectful and accepting of everyone in my life.
There are many different levels to any child not just our “spirited” ones. This book teaches you to change your attitude about your child’s behavior and appreciate the qualities in your child that appear to be bad. Sheedy teaches that a child’s stubbornness can be perceived as persistence. She explains that tantrums occur when a child is over stimulated, and overwhelmed with their emotions. Once parents gain this perspective it is easier to come up with solutions that work for their particular child.
The book is full of simple, practical and readable advice to help all parents manage the rough patches of child-rearing.
The author is likeable and shares her own experiences making it an easy read.
You can get it right here: