Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of most traditional parenting books. Too many of them seem oriented around the idea of "do it my way or you have failed," and I think parents get enough of that message without spending money for the privilege. That being said, there are a few books on parenting that I adore, and recommend every chance I get.
Nurtureshock: This book by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman takes research on motivation, integration, neurology, and child development, and analyzes why kids lie, why kids won't play with someone who's "different," and how calling your kids smart can actually be damaging to their self-esteem. This book turned my parenting world upside down in a good way, and I love it.
Cinderella Ate My Daughter: If you've been reading pop sociology for a few years, you probably know Peggy Orenstein's name from the book School Girls, the first popular book that looked at the gender gap in math and science classrooms in high school. Now that Peggy has a daughter of her own, she turns her trained eye and acerbic wit on Disney, American Girls, and Barbie. As a mom of two little girls, I struggle when it comes to teaching them about feminity without buying into the mass media portrayal of girly-girl culture.
Brain Rules For Baby: Like Nurtureshock, this book takes recent neurological research and explains it in a way that parents can understand. It explains how the brain develops, and how we can best understand and support our kids in each developmental stage.
When you're evaluating what books you want to read, there are a number of things to consider. Is the book based on fact-based research, or is it just a long opinion piece by the author? Is it about a very limited topic, like the various books that promise to teach your child how to sleep through the night, or does it contain research and information that you can apply to your parenting as a whole? I think all parenting perspectives are helpful, but if someone is giving opinions that are diametrically opposed to mine, and isn't offering me any research to back up their opinions, I'm going to consider that differently than the writings of a scientist talking about the latest articles available.
What are your go-to parenting books? Share in the comments section below!
Photo Credit: Flickr