Building Better Families: A Practical Guide to Raising Amazing Children

I found this to be a really insightful and quick parenting read. It's very holistic, and the small anecdotes that the author mentions made me really think about our family's values, how we (as parents, and husband & wife) present ourselves to our children, and what we ultimately want for our children (hint: it's definitely not fame or fortune.) If you don't have a lot of time or energy to read tons of parenting books to find "your style" (or if you haven't even thought about what your style is!) I would recommend this book as a good base.

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids

If I had a parenting "style", I would definitely point to this book (and the On Becoming series.) Keeping things simple and uncomplicated is my nature, so I was naturally drawn to it. In essence, this book addresses those who have realized that their lives (and children) have spiraled out of control, and aims to give parents the tools to find a way out of that spiral-- by simplifying children's environments (IT'S OK TO HAVE LESS TOYS!!)  and other factors (adult topics, TV, etc.) Fortunately, we, as a family, have never reached that point, but reading the book gave me confidence in my natural inclination that "less is more."  

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind

I loved learning the neuroscience behind a child's developing mind. It helped me to understand my toddler's temper-tantrums (the brain is literally undergoing construction during that period!), and react appropriately. The most useful tip I can remember is to "connect and re-direct," connecting with the emotions from the right side of the brain, and then re-directing to the left side (the mathematical and analysis side.) There were a lot of tips as well that will be useful to use with teenagers, so this book is on my "re-read" list for when the kids are older. 

Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money

 l don't normally listen to audiobooks, but this is one that I did happen to listen to! I really enjoyed it, and I'm planning to get the physical book to use as a reference as my kids grow older. Here are few points (from memory, since it's been a few years since I've listened to it) that really stuck with me:

• Monkey see, monkey do! Your kids will naturally learn from how you and your spouse manage money. 

• You can start teaching your kids good money habits at a young age. Kids as young as three years old can start working on their money habits by learning that work = compensation, and that there are three main things you can do with money: Save, Spend, or Give.

• You are at war for your kids' hearts. The culture and the world around us (marketing, social media, etc) are looking to capture your kids' hearts, by saying they need to buy certain things, look a certain way, etc,  to achieve happiness. As we all know, this doesn't work. So what's the antidote? Teaching your kids to be grateful-- which ultimately leads to contentment, and true happiness.

On Becoming Babywise: 

Giving Your Infant the GIFT of Nighttime Sleep

My husband and I used the methods in this book for both of our kids, and they were both sleeping through the night (9pm-5am) by 10 weeks old. I would NOT call this book on "sleep training" because that has such a negative connotation nowadays. This book teaches you about infant sleep cycles, and how you can help your infant link those sleep cycles together: culminating in a full night's sleep before your baby is 12 weeks old! This is one book that I buy and recommend for my friends who are expecting!

Note: Apparently the version that I read is out of print, but there is a new version available on Amazon (under a slightly different name.) I have not personally read this new version, but I link to it here if you like to buy your books on Kindle or buy the newest edition: Babywise Sleep Solutions: Begin as You Mean to Go.

Definitely check out my SubStack post on this as well, if you'd like to learn more before buying the book: Sleeping Through the Night Before 12 Weeks: My Experience with Babywise

Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstandings, Resolve Conflicts, and Solve Relationship Problems Through Cognitive Therapy