Top 10 Favorite Parenting Books

To say that I am an avid reader is well, like saying the beach has a lot of sand. If you see me on the street and ask me what I'm currently reading, chances are, I'll pull a mini library from my purse and tell you way more than you wanted to know about each title.

The "history" of my library card reads much like an autobiography, showing the seasons of my life and what passions have come and gone.

There was the nine months during pregnancy number five that I was in a baking frenzy, or more accurately a muffin-baking frenzy and needed lots of baking books for finding muffin recipes to try...and eventually eat...and eventually regret!

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Or the three weeks that I thought I could read and learn how to knit hats for my kids...complete disaster!

The "homemade remedy" sensation of '08 that found me reading up on all kinds of off-the-grid concotions.

The money management fixation that had me perusing every Dave Ramsey and Larry Burkett book I could get my hands on.

Then there was the "I need to add more words to my vocabulary besides the ones I hear everyday from Elmo" phase which lasted about forty-five pages into a Jane Austen novel.

Oh, and who could EVER forget the "I'm gonna homeschool?!...my children?!" craze that started over six years ago and continues to send me to the 649.6 section of the library.

All that to say, the seasons of my adult life have varied, but one look at my autobiographical library receipt shows an overarching theme...a type of book that has spanned a decade. One that apart from the Bible is my go-to reading topic.

PARENTING

Like most parents, I want to get it right...or at least not completely mess it up. So, I've read a lot of parenting books in the last 10 years. A LOT. And while I have enjoyed many, the ones I've read, re-read, and read again are not necessarily the ones that have left me with warm fuzzy feelings. The best ones. The ones I REALLY liked and recommend are the ones that challenged me. That pointed out areas I needed to improve. That held to the high standard of Scripture. And that held my children to that same standard. The ones that not only SPOKE Truth, but SHOWED me how to apply that Truth in the trenches.

And here they are...

My Top 10 FAVORITE Parenting Books.

General Parenting

Effective Parenting in a Defective World - Although I love every book on the "general" section of my list, this one is my favorite. It holds to the nice blend of grace and discipline that Biblical parenting demands.

Five-Star Families: Moving Yours from Good to Great - I read this in the "early days" of parenting and it really gave me some practical ideas for creating unique family traditions and core values while continuing to appreciate and respect those of our extended family.

The 5 Love Languages of Children - After baby #2, it quickly became obvious that I could not affirm or discipline any of my children in quite the same way. They are individuals who naturally need to hear "I love you" in a way he/she can understand.

Creative Correction - While at times, I think this book leans towards behavior modification which does not line up with my parenting philosophies, it does provide some great pro-active training ideas. In addition, there are a few excellent chapters on child-rearing that are glaringly counter-cultural but completely Scriptural. I'll never look at the traditional view of "sharing" quite the same again.

Shepherding a Child's Heart - Although I do not personally enjoy the writing style of the author, I think his underlying message and practical applications are great. I had the privilege of reading this book with my husband and a small group of other married couples and gleaned much from the weekly dialogue.

Parenting Boys

Bringing Up Boys - As a female, I appreciated the much-needed look at all-things-male that this book provides.

Preparing Him for the Other Woman: A Mother's Guide to Raising Her Son to Love a Wife and Lead a Family - Each chapter of this highly-practical book gives age-appropriate suggestions for moms training boys from 3-18.

Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys - Written by the homeschooling parents of six boys, this book is a great look at how to prevent the feminizing of boys that is so prevalent in today's society.

Parenting Girls

*Quick disclaimer: Perhaps because I am a woman who was once a girl...and a homeschooling mom with an innocent homeschooled-daughter to boot, I am extremely critical of "parenting girl" books. Lately, while reading many "parenting tween girl" books, I have been disappointed in the lack of quality material. Most tween-girl books assume every young girl will have a boyfriend by the time she's nine, prefers jeans with the word "sexy" be-dazzled on the back end, and has a covetable collection of boy-band posters plastered all over her bedroom walls. For most homeschooled girls, mine included, none of that applies. So this recommended book list is short, but represents the Best-of-the-Best for parenting homeschooled girls...in my humble opinion, at least!

Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl - Although it is specifically designed with Tweens in mind, I recommend reading it when your daughter is five or six.

Bringing Up Girls - This much-anticipated sequel to Bringing up Boys is a thorough look at the Biblical parenting that every girl needs.

While I thoroughly value the wisdom that came from each of these books, I continue to add parenting books to my must-read list. I'm always looking for great suggestions.

UPDATE: I have since read many other parenting titles and would add, Grace-Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel to my "general parenting" list. It is a must-read for parents entering the tween and teen years when discipline and training becomes a little less black-and-white.