Parenting can be such a roller coaster. One minute you are enjoying your kids having a great time and then the smallest thing triggers a fight and….great moment is over! When I find myself super frustrated with my kids and feeling like our family life is out of control is when I know it is time to read another parenting book. I need the best books on parenting on my nightstand.
Learning a new tip to try out in our house can sometimes help smooth out the latest difficult situation. Such as getting out the door on time, sibling rivalry or picky eating. I feel like when I am trying out a new tip from a book I have a glimmer of hope that things are going to get better. The great thing is that usually they do! Every new tip I put into my parenting toolbox is helping my family.
My Favorite Books about Parenting:
Love & Logic by Foster Cline and Jim Fay – This book absolutely changed our life when my kids were about 3 years old. I had twins and they could completely overwhelm me when we were trying to get out the door. I go into more detail about the techniques on my post, Are your kids stalling when you want to leave the house? Use this trick. The way to get a kid to do what you need them to do by offering them 2 choices (both options are something you can live with) is life changing!
Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish- I can totally tell when I am doing this in my kids life and when I am not. If my kids are fighting with each other I know it is time to take the advice of the book. Give them each individual praise for who they are as kids. When they each feel loved in their own way they don’t feel the need to tattle and fight as often. This is just one tip from the book and there is much more to gain when you read it, I share more at Siblings Fighting? 3 Tips to Help Them Get Along.
5 Love Languages of Children by Gary D Chapman- who hasn’t read this book on the adult level? If not, go read that one first because it can really help the love in your marriage. Then read this one. It has similar ideas with the Siblings Without Rivalry book. The idea is that if each kid has their love tank filled then life is much easier for everyone.
How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk by Elaine Mazlish- This book is about letting kids open up to you and spark conversation. I wanted to read this because my boys are super quiet. They don’t seem to want to open up and talk so I feel like I am just rattling off questions. This does not go over well with them and they clam up. I am learning tips like not to say “you played great”. Kids don’t really believe adults when they say great, fantastic, the best, etc. Really describe why you think they played great. A better example is “You really hustled for that ball in the last quarter, the offense couldn’t even get a shot.” They are then more likely to agree with you and say “Yea, they didn’t score so we won the game” instead of just a shrug.
On my “to read” in the near future list are:
Best Friends, Worst Enemies – by Michael Thompson and Cathe O’Neill-Grace
Positive Discipline A-Z – by Jane Nelseon Ed.D.
Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman
Do you like to read parenting books? What books on parenting have been most helpful for you?
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I don’t have children but Sibling Rivalry sounds like a very interesting read. I wonder how it could be taken as an adult in dealing with on sibling issues.
this looks liek great resources for parents. I need to remember them for future gifts.
I have a few friends who are preggers right now – so these books are totally helpful! I am going to get them now for them for support and hope they really appreciate all the ideas!
I am totally adding the 5 love languages book to my must read list! I didn’t even know it existed before reading this and am so excited to check it out.
It is a cool idea to apply it to your kids as well as your spouse. I hope you like it. 🙂
I’m not a parent yet, but hope to be one day. I’ll defintely be keeping these books in mind for when the time comes.
Great compilation of books. I haven’t really thought about reading parenting books. I am interested in some of these titles thought!
Parenting books are the best. Love and Logic is a great read. This book has helped me in so many ways. Thanks for the list, I will be checking some of these others out.
All of these look like such great resources. I never really read many parenting books but there are a lot more out now than there were when I was pregnant.
I would love to check these out. There’s not much information out there on how to deal with life after they are babies LOL. The Sibling Rivalry would be great for me!
I have read all of these from a classroom teacher standpoint and as a parent. I totally agree with your list and would add a few more, after 25 years as an educator!
Would love to hear your favorites. I always have a couple in line to read. 🙂
These sound like great books! I need to get a few of these especially the siblings book
I need some new parenting books, new perspective and advice always helps! Especially when it comes to those toddler tantrums!
I definitely think it helps me to stay a step ahead of the kids. 🙂 Tantrums included.
I don’t have any children, but I will definitely have to save this post for later! These seem like great reads!
Oooooo great list of book suggestions!!! My daughter is this age right now so I need to get to reading!
This is awesome! I pinned this earlier on pinterest! Love these book ideas!
Thank you!
Thanks for the recommendations! I haven’t read any parenting books for this age range. But with two boys, I could use some help on sibling rivalry.
I don’t have any children, but these selections seem very well thought out. I may have to recommend to my god-children to get their opinions.
These are always great suggestions, you never know when one of these books are going to help you! They are all so different and great to read!
One of the best parenting books I’ve read is How To Revolutionize Your Childs Life. Its all about empowering children and helping them achieve their dreams. it was a great resource.
I’ll definitely add that to my list. Sounds like a great read for me. I need to empower my children instead of doing everything for them which is my tendency. Trying to fix that. 🙂
Not a parent here, but I will definitely share with my sister-in-law. I am sure she would love it. She likes all kinds of parenting books! Thanks!
The 5 love languages helped my marriage in a big way and I KNOW it will help me with my growing kids – one of whom is 8 and we need more than “cuddles” to relate to each other.
My twin boys are 8 too and I definitely think it has helped us to feel close.
Oh these are great to have! We are at 4 so just entering that stage. I feel like at some point I should probably pick up a book on it.
My favorite was Love & Logic. It helped shift the way I approached things.
I don’t have children yet, but these would be extremely helpful for my sister who just had her first baby. Thanks for sharing!!! (ill keep the list saved for me)
I’ve never read books about parenting before, it’s really interesting and I’m sure these have helped a lot of parents along the way!
What an interesting list thankyou !