Our Favorite Parenting Advice Books

Good books can be a lifeline for anyone looking for various perspectives on how to navigate life’s ups and downs. Parenting is one such area that many people seek more knowledge about, because of how challenging it can be for many people. 

Most great parenting books are not surefire plans for success that make you feel amazing once you finish reading. They could make you think, maybe make you a little uncomfortable, and inspire you to be more mindful. Ultimately, a good parenting book can help you create positive development for your child.  

You can find more parenting resources in the form of articles, books and websites at BetterHelp. In this article we will discuss some of our favorite parenting advice books and what makes them worth the read. 

The Whole-Brain Child

By Daniel J. Siegel 

This book has become quite popular among parents, largely because of its practical, neurophysical approach to how a child’s brain develops and how to help them through their maturing stages. 

The book includes illustrations and clear explanations that can make it simple to explain the concepts you learn to your child. The 12 lessons in the book cover a large range of information, so there is something for every parent to take away from their reading. 

When the World Feels Like a Scary Place

By Abigail Gewirtz

Abigail Gewirtz has experience as a clinical psychologist who specialized in trauma, which she brings into her writing. She focuses on helping parents understand stress and intense negative emotions and how to have conversations about these topics. 

A lot of parenting begins with understanding your own emotions and stressors. Another aspect of parenting that she focuses on is the importance of talking to and listening to your child. 

One of the most effective ways to ensure that your child knows how to manage their own intense emotions, stress, and other scary things in the world, is making sure they have conversations with you about big feelings. This can help them stay strong when things do get scary, and nurture them into a confident and caring adult. 

Cribsheet

By Emily Oster

Emily Oster brings a data-driven, economical approach to early parenting. This is a great book to pick up if you would like to read something more statistical that is backed up by data studies. 

There is an abundance of advice for parents out there, so a book like this one can bring a fresh perspective that helps you make better decisions within your own parenting style. 

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

By Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish

This bestseller guides parents with kids of all ages to enhance their communication skills. The book touches on many common issues parents can run into with their kids and provides practical ways to solve them. 

The book has even been said to decode child-language, which can make it easier for parents and their kids to find common ground and understand one another. Despite being one of the older books on this list, it is definitely a great read for any parent. 

Delusions of Gender

By Cordelia Fine 

While this book does cater to parents of kids, it could also be valuable to someone who is not a parent. 

Delusions of Gender debunks many of the gender and sex-based myths in our society. Fine uses modern neuroscience to delve into how claims that men’s and women’s brains are wired for different things is not exactly fact. 

The author attempts to treat the mind as something that is influenced by societal constructs and assumptions about gender, rather than two differently wired minds: male and female. 

The discourse in this book can help many parents reassess the way they treat gender in their own homes and raise their children to pursue their interests regardless of what gender it is conventionally associated with. 

It is important to note that this book was published in 2010, so while it still holds important information, there are certain gender and sex-related concepts that it may not include. 

Conclusion

There are thousands of parenting books out there with all kinds of advice for every kind of parent. Parents can find information in parenting books that not only helps their kids but themselves too. 

Such literature has the power to transform thinking and encourage parents to do things differently for the benefit of their children. Sometimes a parenting book can just help you feel less alone and more seen in your struggles and experiences. 

The books in this article can help give you an idea of what to expect if you are a new parent or equip you with better skills if you are a parent of an older child. Taking the time to read a parenting book can greatly help you and your family in the long run. 

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Author Bio: Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.

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