Are there times when you feel like you failed as a parent? Â Are there times when you feel like you are constantly correcting your child over and over again and your child is just not “getting it”? Â If so, listed below are the best positive parenting books I found from personal experience for toddlers to teenagers.
We have all heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Â It’s hard enough parenting as a couple, but what if you are a single parent with little extended family and no village? Â Maybe you have one child or a few and there are days that you feel like you are repeating yourself and constantly reprimanding your children. Â At the end of the day, you feel like a failure and your children are still not listening.
Here are a few of the best books that I found that were extremely helpful during different stages of parenting:
Positive Discipline: The First Three Years by Jane Nelsen Ed.D. Â http://amzn.to/2vETaIgÂ
This book covers the first 3 years of your child’s development. Â It is not just informative but it offers real life scenarios into being firm yet gentle while discipling your child. Â It also focuses on encouraging your child and how to be “firm yet parent from the heart”.
Why Should I Listen? by Claire Llewellyn http://amzn.to/2uG83FI
This book is for children and there are quite a few “Why Should I books” in this series. Â This one was our favorite. The illustrations are great and colorful and because of that it kept my son engaged. Â This book also helps children understand the positive implications of listening as well as the negative ones.
A Little Book of Manners for Boys – A Game Plan for Getting Along with Others by Bob & Emilie Barnes http://amzn.to/2vmQigo
This book is also for children, boys in particular. Â My son is 11 and still keeps this book in his bookcase. Â It is well-worn. Â While the ages for reading this book range from 3-7 years old, I found it resonated more with my son as he got older. However, we still read it when he was a toddler and it’s never too young to start teaching manners.
Also, Emilie Barnes wrote a similar book for girls http://amzn.to/2uGOY65
When children become school aged, they can pick up habits of other children that aren’t acceptable to you. It can be suddenly using snarky words or picking up habits that are simply just rude. Children tend to think that being boisterous in public will garner them attention, but to you it can be downright embarrassing.
You first plan of action when your child is demonstrating different or rude behavior is to nip it in the bud.  Explain to your child in a positive way, that their behavior is inappropriate and will not be tolerated.  Don’t lose control but explain what the future consequences will be if the behavior continues.
Positive Discipline A to Z:  1001 Solutions to Everyday Parenting by Jane Nelsen Ed.D. http://amzn.to/2vFiwpb
This book is written by the same author who wrote the book I referenced above, “Positive Discipline – The First Three Years“.
This book is more for the school aged child and is just as definitive as her other books. Â This is more of a reference book rather than a book to be completed in one sitting. Â It runs the gamut of discipling problems that the typical parent faces. Â Whether it’s school issues, completing chores and how to deal with fibbing, this book is one you will reference frequently.
Finally, while books are a great reference tool for parenting, nothing will take the place of your intuition in dealing with your child. Â You and your child share a special bond that only you know how best to nurture.