8 Parenting Books Every Mom and Dad Needs to Read

Parenting is challenging. Agreed?  If you don’t agree I’d like to know what you have for breakfast every day!

I want to tell you, I am a firm believer in two things about parenting:

1. Learn new skills.

So many parents feel inadequate at some stage or other or with one particular kid or other. There’s a plethora of books and parenting classes out there. Go out and learn and get empowered.

The more tools you’ll learn and put into practice - the more confident you’ll feel. Competence breeds confidence!

2. Connect with your Intuition

Your parenting needs to come from deep down within. As much as you learn, keep in mind that only you can parent your child. Only you know him and can feel what’s right for this child at this moment.

Learn to connect with your intuition and allow yourself to be guided to the right course of action for your child in any given situation. This is something I go into more in depth in my course Confident Kids.

As much as parenting can be overwhelming, exhausting and confusing, there’s so much we can learn to help us see a new perspective, a new way of thinking and some great tips to make the day in day out easier.

So here are some awesome books that I love. Some of these ideas will resonate more with you than others. That’s ok. That’s what give us all personality and individuality. The main point is to be growing and learning and becoming a better parent every day.

Hold On To Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers, by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate

I think this is one of the most important parenting books you’ll ever read.  It all about the fact that kids today look to their peers for direction—their values, identity, and codes of behavior.This “peer orientation” interferes with healthy development, and you end up with kids feeling that being “cool” matters more to them than anything else. The book explains the causes of this breakdown and most importantly what to do about it. A most important read.

Raise Your Kids without Raising Your Voice, by Sarah Chana Radcliffe

This book shows you how to stop yelling, criticism and other unpleasant communications. It covers getting the kids to bed, motivating them to get their school work done and how to teach them to cope with disappointment, fear and jealousy. Great book with great tips to help with parenting and also self-knowledge as a parent.

Nonviolent Communication, by Marshall B. Rosenberg

Parenting is a lifetime’s worth of communication. Knowing how to communicate with our kids is one of the most important parts of the journey. Nonviolent Communication is a most powerful book that teaches us a way of being very honest, without any criticism, insults, or put-downs, and teaches us the skills to communicate with love, our needs, wants and requests so they will be well received. A must read for any parent.

The Whole Brain Child, by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

Ever feel like you’re just trying to survive the day?  When will you have time to help your children thrive?  Well in this book we learn that “The moments you are just trying to survive are actually opportunities to help your child thrive.”  Survive moments are gifts, moments we can teach our children how to thrive in life.  Opportunities to learn about listening to others, respectful communication, compromise, sacrifice, negotiation, forgiveness and so many more life lesson.  An amazing and practical parenting guide every mom and dad should read.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

Parent and children communication experts Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish gives advice, new insights, and solutions to common problems in building lasting relationships. This book focuses on teaching how to fully communicate feelings from parent to their child and vice versa.

If you need to understand the effects of punishment or want to know how to peacefully resolve family conflicts, this is the book for you.

Positive Parenting, by Rebecca Eanes

In this book, the author shared her story in her journey through discovery of a true family connection. This guide book contains advice on how to recognize emotional triggers and overcome limiting thoughts, as well as how to understand kids at each stage.

As a learning parent herself, Rebecca wants to empower parents who shares the same sentiment on home dynamics as her, overcoming power struggles, and fostering a good emotional connection with our kids.

No Drama Discipline, by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

If you are looking for a book that will provide you with a guide on how to effectively and peacefully deal with child tantrums and break negative behavior. It teaches how to discipline children such that it is perceived as an instruction to redirect emotions. You’ll also know how to master you own discipline method and philosophy, find ways to connect with your children lovingly and at the same time set clear limits, and get tips on how to properly handle extreme behaviors.

The Dolphin Parent, by Dr. Shimi K. Kang

Harvard-trained psychiatrist and human motivation expert, Dr. Shimi Kang - also a mother, combined science and art in mapping out how to inspire children to develop their internal drive in this book. She called this new and universal parenting model - the dolphin parent. It teaches how to maintain balance when guiding our children. If you want to understand how to be compassionate but still be firm with rules as a parent, this is your go-to-book.Let me know in the comments which book is your favorite and which helped you the most. Happy awesome parenting to you!

Looking for short eBooks?

I’ve heard many a mother ask me to just give her a short synopsis of the main points that she needs to know and she’ll be ever so grateful.

Cuz, let’s face it - finding the time to read all of these books is challenging! Here are a few of my short and concise eBooks that will get you the content that you need without all the extra added fluff that you don’t need.