I love a good parenting book, so when someone mentions a new one, I will general pick it up and give it a read. Who doesn’t need parenting advice every once in a while?! Here are a couple that I recently tried and found useful. Check out the best parenting books of this year, add them to your list, and let me know what your favorites are.
The quintessential parenting book, this is a must read for any parent. Faber and Mazlish are not only full of good parenting advice, but they have a ton of examples of how to actual implement it in tricky everyday situations. I also love this book because they acknowledge how hard it is to be a parent and to implement some of the best practices without being preachy. Their central idea is to listen and acknowledge your child and their feelings. If your child feels heard, then they will be more cooperative. They also have many strategies about how to try and infuse the fun back into parenting, which is what kids want and what most parents might want on their best days.
I checked this out from the library as an audiobook and liked it so much I ended up buying a copy too. This is a practical how-to guide on helping our kids build empathy and why it is important. Society has moved to a more achievement oriented culture and we have lost some four empathy and kindness. Borba lays out the argument for why we need to be teaching our kids empathy and the practical tools to actually do it. From recommended kid books to practical advice on everyday activities you can do with your kids to build empathy, this book is not only theoretically really interesting about setting up our kids for success, but gives parents the practical and easy tools to start doing with our kids today and at every age level as they grow.
Siblings without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together so You Can Live Too by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
This book is a must read for anyone with more than one child. I read it when Tater Tot was about six months old and big D was three. It was a little early to read this kind of book as most of the sibling issues it addresses had not yet arisen, but it gave me a great foundation for how to deal with all of the sibling issues that come up. The fighting, the arguing, the splitting of attention, etc. This book does an incredible job of giving concrete examples of the many every day life situations that happen and how you can address them to create a happier home life. This book also does a really great job around framing sibling relationships and how you as a parent can facilitate strong positive relationships for all of your kids.
The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell
If you have read The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts, this is a similar idea, but really targeted at children and how do children feel loved. There are five different “love languages” that children speak: Acts of Service, Physical Touch, Gifts, Words, and Quality Time. By figuring out which one is your child’s love language and then speak to them in that language; you will “fill their love bucket” and they will be happier, better behaved, etc. I thought this was really interesting way to look at letting those around you (children and adults) know you love them and really rang true for how my kids work.