In this post, I’m sharing some must read parenting books for new moms. These are the books that have influenced the way I raise my kids. Now let me start by saying I am a far from perfect parent. I lose my patience. I yell at my kids. I make threats. It’s something I continually struggle with especially as my kids have gotten older and more boundaries are crossed.
BUT I have read many great parenting books, and they have been really helpful in giving me tools to make parenting easier. There is so much parenting advice out there, and it can be overwhelming. I wouldn’t recommend reading these books all at once! But if you’re struggling with some difficult behaviors or your child is going through a challenging stage of development, these books can provide you with practical strategies that will make you feel more prepared and in control. My dad always says parenting is the most challenging experience of your life, but also the most rewarding, and I definitely agree with him.
In this post, I’m sharing my favorite parenting books that have been the most useful in my journey as a mom for the last five years. I’ve included books targeted towards parents of babies and some for older children. I’ve also included a few at the bottom of this post that are on my reading list.
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Books I’ve Read and Recommend
The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer by Harvey Karp, M.D.
If you’re pregnant, read this book! Caring for newborns is not intuitive, and it is hard. Period. This books explains exactly how to calm a crying newborn. We implemented this technique with both our kids, and while it didn’t work every time, it was really helpful to have these tools to turn to when nothing seemed to be working.
This book goes in to detail on baby sleep. (a lot of detail!), starting with the newborn stage and continuing through the toddler years. It explains the importance of wake times, and why we shouldn’t let babies get overtired. There are tons of strategies for improving your baby’s sleep in this book. We were really struggling when Ellie was born (she rarely slept for more than an hour), and this book gave us the confidence and knowledge to try some sleep strategies that lengthened her sleep time.
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting by Dr. Laura Markham
Having a peaceful home is so important in raising kids; although, it’s something many of us struggle with (myself included!) This book explains how to avoid the power struggles by having empathy and connecting with your child.
This book is so helpful for parents of young children. If you’re going to read one book on this list, I’d recommend starting with this one. The author explains how the developing mind of a child works, the best strategies for helping your child understand their emotions, and ways to help them process those emotions.
This book is by the same author, but it goes in to more detail about effective discipline techniques. I highly recommend this one as well. When you’re staring in to the storm of an epic tantrum, you’ll actually know how to respond in a helpful and effective way.
Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman
This was a really fun and interesting read as a new mom. People say that French children are the most well-behaved, and the author discovered this to be true after she got married and moved to France. She shares her American perspective on the differences between French parenting and American parenting. I’m a bit of a Francophile so I loved this book.
This is the most recent parenting book I read after seeing it recommended by another blogger. The book theorizes that Danish people are happy because of they way they were raised. There are several practical tips for raising kids that are happy and confident.
I couldn’t not include a potty training book in this parenting book round up! We used this technique with both our kids and had good success. Definitely pick this book up if you’re 2 year old is showing interest in potty training.
Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn
This is an older book, but the information still applies today. The premise is that we should always show our kids unconditional love so that they know (even in their worst moments) that their parents are there for them and love them no matter what. The author also details how we should stop using positive and negative reinforcement strategies so that kids become more self motivated and less reliant on external motivation.
This book questions the basic parenting techniques that we assumed were correct. A few of those ‘renegade rules’ include not forcing a kid to share, letting kids rough house, and not making kids apologize. The authors goes in to the whys behind these unconventional parenting rules. I really enjoyed this book and learned lots of strategies that I use with my kids.
Books On My Reading List
This pandemic has probably brought out the worst in me, parent-wise. With very little breaks and time to myself, I find myself losing my patience quite often. This book has some practical tips for managing your emotions as a parent.
Making sure my kids have time outside everyday is a big priority for me, and I’d love some more ideas about encouraging outdoor play.
In this helicopter parenting world, this book explains why letting go can actually improve your children’s chances of success.
