More than Happy
This book explores Amish parenting, which really isn't all that different from common-sense parenting. I'm somewhat fascinated by the Amish, though, so I found it really interesting. I did a lot of underlining in this one. Flipping back through it, there's nothing that is mind-blowing or drastically different from what lots of parents in the "normal" world want for their kids (limits on technology, family time, a culture of service and connection, etc.), but it's a unique perspective that makes you think about a few things you might not have considered otherwise.
How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen
I actually read the next book before this one, but I think it'd make more sense for most people to do it the other way around. One of the authors of this book is the daughter of the woman who wrote the original "How to talk..." book, and she's applying the principles to kids ages two to seven. There's a lot of overlap among the three books in this series in terms of principles, but the examples illustrate different applications. You could read just one of them and do that work yourself, of course. But the library has copies and I like to read, so... #readthemALL Also, reading all the books reinforces the concepts, and I tend to remember things better if I read them more than once. (My memory is terrible, y'all.)
How to Talk So Kids Can Learn
This book applies the "How to talk..." concepts to teaching kids. I read it because we plan to homeschool our littles, and I thought it was very interesting. If you're in the same boat, it'd be worth reading. Actually, I'd recommend it if you have kids in school in any setting, because it'll help you avoid some of those homework battles and set your child up for success in general.
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk
Ok, I haven't actually read this one yet. It was the first "How to Talk..." book I bought, and it's been sitting on my shelf for months, but I ended up reading the other two first because they felt more immediately relevant. Based on the other two, however, I feel fairly confident including it in this list. If that changes, I'll let you know.
How to Raise Good Catholic Children
This book is about 50 years old, so some of the specifics are a little out of date. However, the general ideas are solid. I'd call it a basic foundational read for Catholic parents, but it's particularly helpful if you weren't raised in an active, genuinely Catholic environment. (If you were, it might feel too simple/basic, but I'll let you be the judge of that.) I also have a copy of Newland's "The Year and Our Children" but I haven't had a chance to read that yet.
Charlotte Mason's Home Education
You probably wouldn't read this book unless you're a CM homeschooler, but I honestly think it's more widely applicable than that (especially the first half). CM discusses the "outdoor life of children" and habit training fairly heavily in this volume, and that's something all parents of little people should be informed about.
The Whole-Brain Child
The concepts in this book are similar to those in the "How to Talk..." books, but the author goes into a lot more of the brain science behind them. I find it really interesting, and it helps to understand the why behind what you're doing as a parent. It might be most applicable for kids, say, five and older. However, I've found myself adapting the ideas for E (who is three), so if you're interested there's no need to put off reading it.
No-Drama Discipline
From the authors of The Whole-Brain Child, this book applies to concepts to disciplining little people. Not going to lie, sometimes I scoffed at the suggestions in here, because they seem a little too hippy-dippy (that happens a lot with me and parenting books, actually), but they also work. And, at the end of the day, that's the important part. This is one that's so helpful, I might even give it as a baby shower gift.Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World
I think the title of this book pretty much speaks for itself. I could go on and on about how important gratitude is in life, but I don't think you really need that lecture. This book is a good gratitude primer of sorts, and it'll help you get motivated to instill the habit of gratitude in your littles.
Simplicity Parenting
This book takes on the need for the overall simplification of life in childhood. Fair warning: the print is teeny tiny, so a book that doesn't look all that beefy at first gains some oomph when you open it up. (I don't really know why I feel the need to share that, but it seems relevant to me in the moment, so there you go.) The author talks about about the effects of "too much" on kids and shares different ways parents can combat that in today's world. Some ideas are really good, but some things I disagree with (there is no way I'm cutting our book collection down to one or two favorites--absolutely not). If you take a little, leave a little, this is a valuable read.
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