Whether you’re having your first child or you’re on your third, parenting can be tough. It’s a constant learning experience, and sometimes you might feel lost, or like you should give up. A great way to learn more about being a better parent is to read a few great parenting books. Countless parenting books have been written over the years meant to share thoughtful advice in order to help parents be better for their kids but to also help them understand that they’re not alone in this endeavor. Here are a few great parenting books worth checking out this year.
The Gift of Failure – Jessica Lahey
Today, parenting is often defined by being overprotective and attentive. Some people refer to it as helicopter parenting, and others as snowplow parenting. In her new book, Jessica Lahey argues that this is not the way we should be parenting. Instead, it’s important that we don’t always get it right, and instead learn from our failures.
Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children – Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D.
In her new book, Shefali Tsabary, a clinical psychologist, explains how parents pass on their own emotional and mental traits to their kids. This book aims to help parents identify their own barriers so they can help their kids grow.
Unequal Childhoods – Annette Lareau
Understanding intersectional parenting is very important to anyone who wants to be a better parent. In her book, Annette Lareau explores the ways that race and class affect our children’s upbringings. If you’re able to get the second edition, you’ll see how the author revisits the families she wrote about originally over a decade later.
How To Raise an Adult – Julie Lythcott-Haims
One of the most important things that you can do to guide your child through life is to over-parent. In her new book, Julie Lythcott-Haims talks about the concept of helicopter parenting, and she debunks the harmful effects of this type of parenting. This book is very relevant to parents who are raising kids of any age. However, it’s also very helpful for parents who have teens.
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character – Paul Tough
Despite the importance of kids’ math and science skills, it’s also important that they develop other skills such as character and curiosity. In his new book, Paul Tough argues that the qualities that matter most in life are those that are related to character and skills such as perseverance, self-control, and optimism. This book has been very successful in the category of problem solving and decision-making.