10 BEST PARENTING BOOKS FOR ALL AGES
Ah, parenting. We love our tiny humans unconditionally. Infinitely! But they don’t show up on our doorstep with a ready-to-go how-to guide! We figure it out one day at a time. Sometimes we need help – preferably from others who have gone through the journey (and survived!).
So, whether you’re deep in the trenches of toddlerhood, raising feisty tweens, or sullen, silent teens, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up 10 of the best parenting books chock full of easy-to-implement parenting tips to help you navigate the messy, confusing, love-filled gig called parenting!!
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Our selection of parenting books covers all stages of the parenting journey, so whether you’re expecting your first or are a veteran parent, there’s something for everyone.
For ease of reading, we’ve split them into two categories: general (but life-changing!) parenting books and those specific to age and gender.
PARENTING BOOKS FOR ALL STAGES
1. The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind: The authors provide 12 innovative strategies for raising calmer, happier children based on the development of their brains from infants to adults. If you’ve ever experienced a toddler meltdown of epic proportions or had a door slammed in your face by your teen, this is a must-read!
2. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk: As the title goes, we all know how difficult it can be to get kids to listen to us or, as they get older, to talk to us. Say goodbye to repeating yourself unnecessarily, yelling, or even resorting to bribes with the help of this insightful parenting book. Learn how to communicate effectively with your kids, encourage a safe space for them to share things with you, and overcome sibling rivalry, too!
3. Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans: Do you feel overwhelmed by the never-ending to-do lists that come with raising our beautiful creations? You’re not alone! Adopt some of the principles highlighted in this unique take on parenting practices to raise cooperative, self-driven, confident kids!
4. No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind: Discover ways to effectively (and compassionately) turn your kid’s meltdowns into an opportunity to connect. Learn how to work with your child to resolve conflicts, ease fears, and stabilize intense emotions in a peaceful manner that benefits the entire family.
5. Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids: As a parent, it’s almost natural to become overwhelmed. Whether we’re rushing out the door to get the kids to school on time, our picky eaters have pushed their vegetables aside for the third night in a row, or we’re on a work call, and the kids have somehow gotten into the pantry (again!), it’s not easy to stay calm!
Raising Good Humans helps us hone into mindful, calming practices so that we can parent with compassion and, in turn, raise resilient, compassionate kids and break unhelpful generational patterns.
6. Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be: The most confusing part about parenting? There are so many ways to do it. All we really want is to raise good, kind people. Dr. Becky, the author of this fantastic parenting gem, shares practical tools to become the parents we truly want to be—and raise emotionally-healthy, resilient kids, too!
She offers her thought-provoking ways to handle everything from separation anxiety to sibling rivalry, managing BIG emotions, maintaining boundaries, and more!
PARENTING BOOKS BY AGE AND GENDER
7. The Simplest Baby Book in the World: The Illustrated, Grab-and-Do Guide for a Healthy, Happy Baby: If you’re a first-time parent with a precious bundle of joy on the way or have been around the block a longggg time ago and looking for a simple refresher, this is the perfect parenting book for you!
It includes guidance on all things “baby,” from feeding to sleep training, prepping the nursery, bath time, leaving the house with your infant, and more! And all in an easy-to-digest format that even the most sleep-deprived parents can understand!
8. Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen: The Essential Conversations You Need to Have with Your Kids Before They Start High School: As parenting books for tweens go, this is by far one of the best parenting books around. It teaches parents exactly what conversations to have with their middle-schoolers, how to have them, keep kids engaged, and make them comfortable enough to have more. It even outlines suitable times, places, and situations to make the most out of these chats. Total game-changer for parenting tweens!
9. Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood: The parenting tips included in this teen-girl-bible guide parents through the transition of their “little girl” into a full-grown adult woman and all the related complexities of this change. See the world through your teenage daughter’s eyes and bond and connect with her when she needs you most.
10. Decoding Boys: New Science Behind the Subtle Art of Raising Sons: Decode your teenage son’s behavior, mannerisms, and general demeanor. Learn to sensitively broach topics like puberty, consent, social pressures, and screen time/gaming. Feel confident in your ability to raise your “baby boy” into a mature, emotionally strong man.
And that’s a wrap! We sincerely hope you’ve found a few intriguing parenting books to add to your reading list. No matter the stage of parenting you’re currently in, just remember, you’ve got this!
If you’re struggling to fit in date night amidst the craziness of parenting tiny humans, check out our helpful post on how to keep the relationship alive after kids.
Finally, if you’re a closet bookworm, check out this amazing list of books for the whole family to enjoy this summer!
Happy Reading!
