Most Important books you've read on child-rearing or Education?...

[PianoLover]

For sure the most important book I've read on parenting is "How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk" by Adelle Faber and Elaine Mazlish, so insightful and life affirming and somehow also helps you deal with adults and your own inner child.

What books did you the most favours?

 

[parentastic]

For sure the most important book I've read on parenting is "How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk" by Adelle Faber and Elaine Mazlish, so insightful and life affirming and somehow also helps you deal with adults and your own inner child.

What books did you the most favours?

Yes, this book is amongst the top 5 books I recommend to parents in my workshops, PianoLover.
It's really an <I>excellent </I>resource.

Here are a few others:

For parents of teenager:
<I>Hold on to your kids</I>, from Dr. Gordon Neufeld
<I>How to talk so teens will listen &amp; listen so teens will talk</I>, Faber &amp; Mazlish

For every parents who wants to learn what to do:
Parent Effectiveness Training, from Dr. Thomas Gordon
<I>Kids are worth it!</I> from Barbara Coloroso
<I>Discipline that works</I>, Dr. Thomas Gordon


For parents who wants to learn <I>why</I> some parenting things should or should not be done:
<I>Unconditional parenting</I>, from Alfie Kohn

For parents who want to learn about attachment and neuro-biology:
<I>Parenting from the inside out</I>, Dr. Dan Seigel

For parents who want to learn about family communications:
The new people making, Virginia Satir

For parents who have more than one kids:
<I>Sibling Rivalry</I>, Faber &amp; Mazlish

For parents of defiant children / ODD / strong willed:
<I>The explosive child</I>, Dr. Ross W. Greene


Happy readings!

Nicolas, Family Life Educator

 

[mom2many]

I have never read a parenting book. I just decided to use trial and error...so far so good .

 

[parentastic]

Nothing wrong about trial and error!

The content of some of these books might surprise you, though.

 

[mom2many]

I'm not saying I haven't done any research. I love to research, I just haven't read any parenting books.

 

[GavinH]

Hi Nicolas - do you have any reading recommendations on introducing a significant other to my children?

I have been seeing someone casually for a couple of months and things are progressing to the point where i think the kids need to know that I have feelings for her and we are dating.

Thanks
Gavin

 

[parentastic]

Hello Gavin,

I am not aware of any specific book that introduce that perticular topic, but you can read my answer to someone else with a similar question here.
It was for a young 2 year old child. Don't know if that will help!

Let me know
Nicolas

 

[Phildye]

Shamless self promotion - The New Father Lode by Phil Dye. Only available from Amazon eBooks! That, and 'How to improve your child's self esteem.'

 

[bssage]

I would have to say. The most important books I have read on parenting were Doctor Suess, Curious Goerge, ect. Books that can be read with them.

May sound silly but many of these type of books contain some simple truths and more importantly allow you to get on a level which relates to your child.

laying in bed reading to them. Watching their faces for reactions. engaging them in the illustrations. Seeing the little gears turn in their little heads is priceless and while building an appreciation for the written word in them, it allows us a time to focus without the distractions of the world beating at the door to our brain.

The fault I find in much of the parenting literature is that you have sift through a massive amount of what is known, or what really amounts to the author qualifying his work, to get to the parts of usable incite.

This has been especially frustrating in regard to Chloe. I typically find myself listening to (in lectures) or reading in books about studies, previous research works or resources that were involved. To try and stay awake to the "meat and potato's" Of what I am reading.

Summary: IMHO more is to be gained reading a hundred books to/with your kids. Than what is to be gained reading a hundred books on how to be a parent yourself.

 

[Phildye]

As an author of a parenting book I shouldn't say this, but you're right. I'm sick of the thousands of books, courses, DVDs and workshops for parents who do it as well as they can anyway.

The self-help book revolution has created a generation of parents who focus on themselves rather than their children. These poor parents have been guilted into believing they must read a parenting book in order to be 'better'. What rubbish.

Phil Dye

 

[nwcrazy]

As an author of a parenting book I shouldn't say this, but you're right. I'm sick of the thousands of books, courses, DVDs and workshops for parents who do it as well as they can anyway.

The self-help book revolution has created a generation of parents who focus on themselves rather than their children. These poor parents have been guilted into believing they must read a parenting book in order to be 'better'. What rubbish.

Phil Dye

Agreed. It's gotten to the point where many are afraid to do anything without reading a self-help book first. I wouldn't be surprised if a self-help book came out telling parents the best time of day to get their kids to brush their teeth.

But with that said, I think for parents and children that are dealing with extenuating circumstances, they may provide some aid.

For the rest of us, they are unnecessary.

 

[parentastic]

Agreed. It's gotten to the point where many are afraid to do anything without reading a self-help book first. I wouldn't be surprised if a self-help book came out telling parents the best time of day to get their kids to brush their teeth.
But with that said, I think for parents and children that are dealing with extenuating circumstances, they may provide some aid.
For the rest of us, they are unnecessary.

The problem with "self-help" books, is that there is a huge spectrum of them and you can find some really, really, really bad advice in some of them. You may also find some very important knowledge to acquire. But how do you know one from the other? For a parent, it's very difficult.

As a parenting instructor who offers parents with references and sources to read, I can tell you this is a very problematic situation. I'd say 90% of what's published out there for parents is not only useless, but potentially harmful.

On the flip side...
Parenting is the hardest job someone will ever have to do. It's 100% of the time, it's difficult, it triggers our emotions and our own childhood memories, it's something you need to do when under pressure, and it's easily the MOST IMPORTANT thing you will ever do, as it will completely shape the entire life of someone. Nothing is more important in the whole world.
And yet most parents know nothing about it. Knowing how a child develops, the stages they go through, what they can and cannot do, why they behave the way they do, how they may respond to what kind of parenting style, how to get them to trust you and talk to you about what is going on in their life, how to truly listen and understand them, all of this is critical to know.

 

[RealDad]

The most important thing I ever did to become a better parent was the Landmark Forum. I finally understood the difference between what I believed was true based on the past, and what was actually going on.

Then I could get out of the way and be with my children.

 

[JRP88]

Where the Wild Things Are

 

[guy7878]

thanks for the recommendations!