The huge amount of parenting information sitting on store shelves and floating around the Internet can be quite overwhelming. In order to sift through the parenting noise, I’m happy to share the resources I recommend to my clients and readers, which come from sources I have grown to trust.
15 Ways To Handle Unwanted Parenting Advice
It is hard to have completely evidence-based parenting information, but these writers are as science-backed (and emotionally supportive) as can be. All the book recommendations below are new releases within this year or about to be released soon and I have received an advanced reading copy.
The Happy Sleeper by Heather Turgeon, MFT and Julie Wright, MFT (foreward by Dr Daniel Siegel). This book is hot off the press! If you have ANY sleep questions or struggles, I strongly recommend this gem. In addition to the more common sleep challenges, I'm pleased to find a book that explains how the divide between "attachment parenting" and "cry-it-out" is unhelpful. The authors explain how loving, secure attachment and independent sleep do not need to be pitted against each other.
No-Drama Discipline by Daniel Siegel, M.D., Tina Payne Bryson, PhD. If you have sighed, asking "How can I get my kids to listen" or feel frustrated that everyone is blowing up, this book will be helpfu for you. I particularly like this discipline book, as it describes the neurobiology behind melt-downs (for parents, too!) along with practical tools for parents in an easy-to-use way.
Positive Discipline -- The First Three Years by Jane Nelsen, PhD, Cheryl Erwin, M.A., and Rosyln Ann Duffy. In addition to the discipline book above, I recommend this one if you have children between one and three. Seriously, read this one if you are struggling through the toddler years. It is possible to thrive while raising a toddler with the tools Dr. Nelsen outlines in this book.
The Genius In Every Child by Rick Ackerly. This book helps parents bring out the best in their children, whether that is at home or at school. The author, a longtime educator, walks parents through how to support their children to find their own genius, which each child has.
Beyond Intelligence -- Secrets for Raising Happily Productive Kids by Dona Matthews, PhD and Joanne Foster, EdD. The authors provide parents with a guide to fostering creativity, increasing effort and persistence, and finding what a child is naturally skilled at. If you have ever wondered what is the right school for your child, how to effectively work with teachers, and what the different ways of learning are, you will find this book helpful.
The Opposite of Spoiled by Ron Lieber. I have not had the opportunity to read a copy of this book yet, but I am recommending it based on having read Ron Lieber's "Your Money" column in The New York Times. Gretchin Rubin, the author of The Happiness Project, had this to say of Lieber's book: “We all want to raise children with good values, yet we often neglect to talk to our children about money. This engaging and important book breaks new ground by suggesting that the next generation deserves to be better at money than we are. A must-read for parents.” The focus of Lieber's book is teaching children to be financially wise. This book is being released in early February, however if you pre-order, you will be given a $27 gift card for DonorsChoose.org, the online charity that helps public school teachers raise money to fund classroom projects.
I find it easier to keep track of online parenting posts through Facebook than any other social media format. Here are the pages I read through when looking for quality articles to share on my page:
Gordon Neufeld, PhD's page: Neufeld Institute
John Gottman, PhD's page: The Gottman Institute (Relationships)
Heather Turgeon, MFT's page: The Science of Kids
Alice Callahan PhD's page: The Science of Mom
Rebecca Eanes's page: Positive Parenting: Toddlers and Beyond
Sarah Remmer, RD's page: Sarah Remmer, RD -- Family Nutrition Educator (All things related to feeding kids)
Jessica Lahey's page: Jessica Lahey (Education, author of the forthcoming book The Gift of Failure)
Andy Smithson, MSW's page: Tru Parenting
Katie Hurley, MSW's page: Practical Parenting by Katie
Ariadne Brill's page: Positive Parenting Connections
Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD's page: Roots of Action (Eduction)
Amy McCready's page: Positive Parenting Solutions
Rachel Macy Stafford's page: The Hands Free Revolution (Inspiration)
Alyson Schafer, MA's page: Alyson Schafer (Parenting)
Mona Delahooke PhD's page: Mona Delahooke, PhD (For parents of special needs kids)
Kelly Flannigan-Bos, MSW's page: Kelly Flannigan-Bos - Psychotherapist (Parenting & Relationships)
Alanna McGinn's page: Good Night Sleep Site (Sleep)
Jessica Michaelson PhD's page: Dr. Jessica Michaelson (Parenting)
My page: Andrea Nair - parenting educator
I realize there are many more wonderful books and pages available. Please do let me know which ones are your favourites in the comments below or over on my page.
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