There is nothing I love more than totally geeking out and pouring through a parenting book. In these first 15 months of parenting, I have read dozens of books. From memoirs to text books, some have been good, some bad, and some REALLY bad. I understand that not everyone enjoys reading parenting books as much as I do. So I have compiled my six favorite parenting books. They are witty entertaining, and not a total snooze fest. In my opinion, these six books are the essential parenting books that every new parent should read. They cover every aspect of parenting, from sleep to eating to discipline. As I continue to read new books, I will update my picks!
Parenting and childhood nowadays can be CRAZY hectic. There are so many toy options, so many activities, and an overwhelming mentality that we have to have it all and do it all. In a moment of extreme parenting overload, I ordered this book. I did not expect that it would turn into my FAVORITE parenting book yet. This book is a must read for the modern parent and will inspire you to get rid of half your toys.
The French are just better at everything, including raising adventurous eaters. Thankfully, we have been blessed with a great eater. But at the first sign of pickiness, I picked up this book. I am obsessed with how the French raise children, thanks to one of the first parenting books I read and #4 on my list. So this title spoke to me, naturally. Before I read this book, I thought I was doing a pretty good job creating a mini gourmand. But really, I have been doing a lot wrong. Like using food as a reward, whoops. Or never wanting BB to be hungry.
The answer to this question is obvious, but I think it is really easy for generations past and even our generation to minimize the roll of the father in parenting. I still hear dads of my generation refer to time spent with their children as “babysitting.” This book is awesome and will make you want to hug your husband and encourage them to be the best dad possible. Everything in the book is based on the little research we have relating to the role of the father.
If you are a parent or pregnant and not a big reader, this is a great introduction into the world of parenting books. Written from the perspective of an American mother raising her children in France, and trying to figure out why French children are so calm, cool and collected. It is witty, fun and so relatable. Even more, it actually has some GREAT parenting advice. BBs amazing sleeping abilities are due in large part to what the books refers to as Le Pause.
One day, BB had her first toddler tantrum, and I totally flipped out. I ordered 10 books about toddler discipline and literally read them all in a couple days. This was my favorite of the bunch. BB is 15 months, so a lot of this book really applies to children who are much older. But, I have been able to put a lot of it into use already. It really reworked the way I think about discipline and how a toddler responds to it. I will definitely be pulling it back out for years to come.
This book has been around for generations and most of its advice holds true. I must emphasize MOST because there are a few parent testimonials that refer to “smacking” their children. It helps put things into perspective. It’s easy to watch your child’s tantrum over something as mundane as a carrot and get frustrated. But this books tries to explain that it’s normal and what we really need to understand is why they are freaking out over a carrot. Which makes the next freakout over a carrot a little easier to handle.
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