If you know me well then you know that I have an obsession with being good at everything I do. It’s probably unhealthy perfectionism. But let’s look on the bright side. I have spent a lot of time reading and researching things because of this. And one of the biggest things I want to be good at is parenting. I really want my kids to grow up to be as kind, loving, hardworking and successful as I know they can be. I don’t want to screw them up. So I have read a lot of parenting books. Some I loved, some I didn’t finish, and some were good but not great.
Out of those books, there are a few that have become my favorite parenting books, and have really influenced how we parent in our home. They have been read and re-read multiple times. I highly recommend each of these. They really are some of the best books on parenting out there.
Parenting With Love And Logic by Jim Fay and Foster Cline
This is one of the first parenting books I read and loved. My favorite thing about this parenting book is the focus on letting your kids experience natural consequences and showing empathy. Another lesson that I learned from Parenting with Love And Logic is to speak less and listen more. We do a lot of talking at our kids. Think of how many times you say “Put your shoes on” before you leave for school. What if you said it once in the morning, and never again. I’ve seen a huge difference when I say less to my kids. (And they always find a way to get their shoes on before we leave without me asking a million times).
Parenting With Love And Logic also gives lots of phrases or scripts to use in different situations. One of my favorite phrases from the book is “I love you too much to argue about this.” I love to use this one with my kids. It’s the perfect way to stop an argument. Because really truly, whatever we are arguing about is most likely pretty insignificant in the long run.
Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff
I listened to the audio version of this book for the first time last summer, and I’ve already listened to it again (and will probably keep listening over and over). It is the best book on parenting toddlers I have read. I actually included it in my list of top books I read in 2022.
The author of this book is a mom with one young toddler at the time she wrote the book. And her career took her all over the world. She began to realize that the parents she spent time with in her work did not deal with the same issues that us parents in the western world have. She even once saw a teenage girl wake up and do the dishes without being asked, just because she saw it needed to be done. Like, what? That’s possible? I would do anything to have my kids do the dishes willingly when they are teenagers.
So the author traveled around the world with her daughter so she could learn the best parenting techniques from these cultures. They visited Maya families, Inuit families and Hadzabe families. And each family taught her parenting techniques that have been passed down for generations.
It is such an interesting read. And the author shares specific techniques that she was taught in her travels. One thing that I’ve tried so hard to implement in the book is the idea that everyone in the house works together. We often shoo our kids away while we cook or clean something, rather than including them in the task. This one is so hard for me because as a stay at home mom, sometimes I just want everyone to leave me alone so I can get things done fast. But it does make for a happier home when I listen to the books advice and invite the kids in to help. Even though it usually makes the task take a bit longer.
Balanced And Barefoot by Angela J. Hanscom
This book was so amazing! It’s one of those books that will make you take a good hard look at your own life. Once you read this, you’ll see why I included this as one of the best parenting books to read. The author covers the amazing benefits of being outside, and the impact that more screen time and less outdoor time has had on young kids .
This wasn’t necessarily a parenting book with different strategies and tips. However, it really made me think more about what our current priorities are as a family, and what I want for us going forward.
Since reading this book, I’ve made being outside a priority for our family, and made a huge effort to limit our screen time. Each day after we pick up my daughter from school, we all hang out in the backyard. And it has been so beneficial for our kids. They sleep better, they play better. They are more kind to their siblings and others. And I love to see how creative my kids with their play outside.
I’d love to hear which parenting books you have read and loved! Please share in the comments!
Leave a Reply