Being a parent isn’t an easy job. No one has a manual that tells them how to parent and what is right or wrong. As parents, you have to figure it out by yourself.

Or do you?

When scrolling through the parenting section of any bookstore, you'll come across an extensive range of parenting books that can help you tackle various stages of the dubious task of parenting kids. Some are for toddlers, others for newborns.

Regardless of what stage of parenting you're at, it can’t hurt to try reading some books by professionals or other parents that have come before you. However, you may have a hard time trying to figure out which books are best to buy and which are best left on the shelf.

With so many claims on each page, it's no wonder that you may need a little help. That's where we come in. We have rounded up the best parenting books you can buy to help you with the task of raising kids. Have a look and pick the one that meets you where you are at in this tiresome and joyous journey.

Simone Davis hands you one of the best parenting books with Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being. You will learn many tried and true ways to deal with your toddler and how to communicate with them on their level. This book is ideal for any parents who are struggling to relate to their kids.

One of the best things about this book is that it is geared toward helping parents through one of the toughest stages of parenting. Toddlers often have just enough words to drive you crazy but not enough to communicate their needs fully. Therefore, having this book decipher some of your toddler's behavior and translate it is a refreshing take on dealing with this challenging age.

Overall, the Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being is among the best parenting books because it is both applicable and relatable. The only real drawback is that there are some grammar inconsistencies, and the book itself is a bit lengthy. Still, you will enjoy the ways you can transform your home to be a safe haven for your toddler and less frustrating for you.

Key Features
  • Learn to understand toddlers and their sometimes frustrating ways
  • Every page is filled with advice to help you make your home a toddler haven for growth
  • The ideas for clear discipline and parenting is both down to earth and friendly
Specifications
  • Brand: Simone Davies
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Toddler
  • Color Screen: 256
  • Notification Support: Workman
Pros
  • Easy to understand
  • There are some great ideas
  • Really on a toddler level of understanding
Cons
  • Lengthy
  • You may get frustrated with grammatical inconsistencies
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The Montessori Toddler: A Parent's Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being

When looking for the best parenting books to help you manage the first few years of being a parent, the Caring for Your Baby and Young Child book is one you want. There is a wealth of information in this book that is derived by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Using combined brainpower, this book brings you the most comprehensive issue for helping parents overcome all kinds of child-rearing issues.

You will love the way this book helps you to keep calm in emergencies, feel like an average parent when everything seems to go wrong, and lets you know you are on the right track. There is such a wealth of information that this book covers that you will never have to wonder what to do next. You will be able to learn how to handle everything from childhood illnesses to common child behaviors.

Choosing the best parenting books often means having books that are lengthy and cover everything you could possibly need. This one is no exception. However, you may find some of the terms more technical then you can understand. Still, you'll never wonder if you are on the right track to parenting, as this book will let you know you are doing just fine.

Key Features
  • Uses professional advice to help parents get through the first five years of being a parent
  • Covers common topics that parents have trouble with when raising young children
  • Helps keep parents calm when issues arise and gives instructions on how to deal with them
Specifications
  • Brand: David Hill
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Birth to 5 years
  • Color Screen: 960
  • Notification Support: Bantam
Pros
  • Very comprehensive
  • Great for first time parents
  • A large wealth of information
Cons
  • Very lengthy
  • Some concepts are more professionally inclined
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Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, 7th Edition: Birth to Age 5

Gary Chapman has combined what he did for marriage relationships and applied what he learned about child-rearing with the help of Ross Campbell in the making of The 5 Love Languages of Children. This book is definitely one of the best parenting books because of how impactful the need to understand the ways children love can be.

As you go through this book, you will learn to recognize what ways your child both gives and interprets love, and that will be your guiding light to how you can raise your child, knowing you love them. Your children probably have a different love language than you do, and that can be tough when, as a parent, you think you are providing love, but your kid is interpreting it differently. Knowing the love languages is a way to meet your child with the language they understand.

Of the best parenting books, learning the language of your child's love can be one of the most exciting things, and this book gives you that. If you have read any of Gary Chapman's other books, you may find that this one is similar. However, this one is geared specifically to children. The only other thing you may notices is that the children's quotes seem contrived rather than authentic.

Key Features
  • Teaches you the five love languages of children
  • Helps you meet your child with the love their understand
  • Ensures that you and your child are communicating effectively
Specifications
  • Brand: Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Elementary Age
  • Color Screen: 224
  • Notification Support: Northfield Publishing
Pros
  • Easy to understand
  • Good read
  • Great for helping you understand your child
Cons
  • Similar to other books in the collection
  • Some child quotes seem contrived
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The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively

As a new parent, you are going to have many sleepless nights thinking you are screwing things up. What to Expect the First Year is the exact type of book any new parent needs, and that places it on the best parenting books list. There is so much advice in this book that you will sincerely appreciate the honesty and affirmation that you aren’t ruining your child.

This book gives you a step-by-step look at the various developmental milestones and issues that you may encounter with your baby in the first year. You will be able to read about everyday struggles that parents encounter and how to get through them. There is so much advice in this book that you will be returning to its pages beyond the first child and onto the second.

There is always something new to learn, and this book helps you do that. What to Expect the First Year is an excellent book in the What to Expect series. You will save yourself many precious hours of sleeplessness by reading this book and using it as a reference when you are concerned about common parenting issues.

Key Features
  • A step by step guide to what you can expect from one week to the next as your child grows
  • A great look at common issues that may arise the first year of your baby's life
  • Tackles the fears that new parents experience and helps them to figure out what is normal or not
Specifications
  • Brand: Heidi Murkoff
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Newborn
  • Color Screen: 704
  • Notification Support: Workman
Pros
  • Very comprehensive
  • Tackles common issues
  • Great for first time parents
Cons
  • A lot of fluff writing
  • You may encounter a few contradictions
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What to Expect the First Year

When picking the best parenting books, you will love the Whole Brain Child Revolutionary Strategies Developing as it is a practical book written by neuropsychiatrists and parenting experts. What this book offers you are strategies that help you foster healthy brain development in your child. What the experts try to teach you is how your child’s brain functions, as well as how it matures.

The goal of this book is to help you to raise a calmer and happier child. You will learn how to teach your child to balance their varying emotions and how to make proper decisions. Along the way, you hope that your child will learn proper behaviors as they learn to handle the things that throw their emotions out of wack.

Ultimately what makes this book one of the best parenting books is the strategies you will learn. Find out how to cope with the day to day struggles of being a parent while being provided tools to help explain things to your child. You may find the book a bit lengthy or even intensive, but it is very helpful for most parents. Furthermore, it is a great way to build a connection with your child.

Key Features
  • Teaches you the brain areas responsible for various stages of development
  • Filled with all kinds of fresh ideas that are backed by neuroscience
  • Provides you a scientifically focused method of parenting that takes away good or bad idealism
Specifications
  • Brand: Daniel J. Siegel, Tina Payne Bryson
  • Color Screen: 192
  • Notification Support: Bantam
Pros
  • Highly reserached
  • Teaches you how the brain works
  • Great common sense approach
Cons
  • Lenghty
  • Too advanced for the average parent
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The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind

Of the best parenting books, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk is one you want to look into. Written by experts on communication and have brought their expertise to parenting, one of the hardest things to do as a parent is to learn to communicate with your kids so as to develop a relationship based on trust.

What this book will do for you is to bring about better communication between you and your children. Rather than yelling and pleading with your kids, you will learn to communicate better. This book is excellent in the way it applies new techniques to the parent/child relationship. These methods can be used on any child and even in a classroom by teachers.

There are many excellent books on the market but, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen, so Kids Will Talk is among the best parenting books because it works. The methods are relatively common sense, and they do invoke excellent communication. The one drawback you may want to be aware of is that it is lengthy to get through.

Key Features
  • Written by experts on communication with children
  • Provides you with insights and suggestions as well as methods of common problem solving
  • You will learn how to build lasting relationships with your kids built on trust
Specifications
  • Brand: Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Chld to adolesence
  • Color Screen: 368
  • Notification Support: Scribner
Pros
  • The methods work if you use them properly
  • Excellent problem solving methods
  • Great book for helping build relationships
Cons
  • Lengthy
  • A lot of the book is common sense
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How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

When looking for the best parenting books, you want one that is going to hit home. How to Stop Losing your Sh*T is among the best because of how raw and real it is. You will find that this book is very readable. No matter where in your parent journey you are at, parts of this book are going to be quite relatable. No parent has ever said parenting was easy — and this book helps you get through that.

Carla Naumburg is a clinical social worker who has written numerous books on the struggles of parenting. This particular book is to teach you to be calmer as a parent as deal with your child in a calmer manner. You will love how truthful and honest this book is when it comes to dealing with kids of various ages.

How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids is an excellent book that most parents will enjoy reading as it has a realistic and funny look at parenting. However, you may not like that there is a lot of cursing in this book, and at times you may find the author is trying too hard to be funny. However, there is no doubt the advice given is excellent.

Key Features
  • A refreshing, real, and humorous look at parenting and the common issues that arise
  • There are plenty of helpful examples with summaries at the end of the book
  • This book is like going to the best parenting class you could possibly imagine
Specifications
  • Brand: Carla Naumburg
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Child
  • Color Screen: 192
  • Notification Support: Workman
Pros
  • Funny and lighthearted
  • Raw and real
  • Great suggestions
  • Easy read
Cons
  • There is a lot of cursing in this book
  • You may find the author tries too hard to be funny
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How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids: A Practical Guide to Becoming a Calmer, Happier Parent

When looking for the best parenting books that help by being a manual for parents, Parenting with Love and Logic is an excellent choice for anyone. You will find that there are a lot of common parenting issues in this book that are explained in detail. Make sure you get past the first half of the book because the second half is where the real-parenting applications are found.

You will love that the methods help with strong-willed children and difficult situations. Though there are a lot of religious connotations in this book, the principles are very well received. There is a lot to be learned by going through this book from cover to cover. You will be able to learn and grow as a parent when practicing the methods offered to you.

There is a lot to be said for Parenting with Love and Logic. Though despite the good, there are some drawbacks; like you have to go through the whole book to get it, and it is more parent-focused rather than child-focused. You might also find that it lacks empathy for the child. However, if you need a clear cut book to help you learn as a parent, this is the one for you.

Key Features
  • A great resource that teaches parents that even when they think they are wrong, they are doing alright
  • Helps you learn how to embrace the difficulties of parenting and use it for good
  • Gives detailed information that will help all parents through any situation
Specifications
  • Brand: Foster Cline and Rick Killian
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Children
  • Color Screen: 272
  • Notification Support: NavPress
Pros
  • Gives details on how to handle common issues
  • Helpful for most parents
  • The methods are great for strong willed kids
Cons
  • More parent-focused than child-focused
  • Needs more parenting tools
  • A lot of religious connotations
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Parenting With Love And Logic

For those who are looking for the best parenting book for essential parenting, Raising Good Humans is what you want. This book is centered on the basics of avoiding reactive parenting and focuses more on handling situations before they escalate. There is a lot of practical parenting advice in this book.

Whether you are trying to stop a temper tantrum or learn to cope with child behavioral issues, this book will help you out. The book isn’t in-depth or overly technical as it is written with the standard parent in mind. Through the use of mediation and mindfulness, you will learn how to be a calmer and gentler parent without freaking out on your kids. In turn, the kids will also learn to be calmer themselves.

There is a lot to be said for Raising Good Humans. It is light and easy to read the book that offers excellent practical advice for all parents. The only drawback is that this book is mostly essential for parenting and not for those with kids with special needs or teenagers. Furthermore, the advice is more intuitive. Regardless, this book is an excellent choice for parents not looking to revamp their entire teaching skills, but instead, just get help with the basics.

Key Features
  • In this book you will get powerful and impactful strategies to stopping reactive parenting
  • You will learn to teach your child to be kinder and more compassionate
  • Learn to use mindfulness skills when parenting to be calmer under pressure
Specifications
  • Brand: Hunter Clarke
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Childhood
  • Color Screen: 184
  • Notification Support: New Harbinger
Pros
  • Excellent advice
  • Easy to read
  • Refreshingly short and to the point
Cons
  • More basic parenting
  • Advice is more intuitive
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Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids

Parenting is a difficult task, and you want to raise kids who are going to be well-rounded individuals. The Self-Driven Child is derived from science and psychology to give your child more control over their lives by teaching them to make the right decisions for their lives. If you want excellent and practical advice, this is the book for you.

Whether you have issues with being too pushy or wanting to micromanage your kid's lives, this book is the one that will help you learn to let go a bit and allow kids to make mistakes they can learn from. You will learn to be empowered as a parent as well as be provided the courage and the tools needed to reduce toxic stress.

If you are looking for a good book that will help you to learn how to give your kids more control over their lives, you will love The Self-Driven Child. This book is the ideal practical book for any parent. The only drawback is that it is essential for parenting and less intense than you may be looking for. Furthermore, the title is a bit misleading as it is geared more towards pushy or micromanaging parents than ordinary ones.

Key Features
  • Learn how to stop micromanaging and start giving your kids more control
  • Teach your children how to make decisions smartly and with information
  • Helpful for the younger years but also applicable to older teenagers too
Specifications
  • Brand: William Stixrud and Ned Johnson
  • Heart Rate Monitor: Young to Middle Age Children
  • Color Screen: 384
  • Notification Support: Penguin
Pros
  • Good universal read
  • Excellent for kids of all ages
  • Very child-focused
Cons
  • Title is a bit misleading for content
  • Not a lot of motivation for parents who have already done research
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The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives

There is so much to consider when it comes to picking a parenting book. You want to be sure that the book that you choose is going to apply to your parenting situation or soon to be the situation. Of the best parenting books, you should be looking for one that will help guide you further in the crazy world of parenting.

There is a lot to think of when it comes to raising kids. Therefore, you want to be picky when choosing a parenting book. Have a look at these tips to help you choose the right book.

Author

If you are looking for advice from another parent, you may not be too concerned about who authored the book you buy. However, if you are looking for specialized advice, the author of the book should be someone who is credible in their field. You can find an extensive range of parenting books that are written by pediatricians, psychologists, communication experts, and child experts who write books.

Recommendations

It is difficult to say that there is one parenting book for all parents. Therefore, one thing you are going to want to rely on is recommendations. If you know parents who are struggling with similar issues that you are dealing with, ask them what parenting books they read. You may learn that the book you thought would be helpful isn’t the one you wanted. Recommendations from parents who have tried the applications in the book are vital.

Reviews

Like recommendations, there is a lot to learn from reviews. Take the time to go through some of the best and worst reviews to see what others say. You may find that the best reviews speak to you, but you may also find that the bad reviews tell you what you were looking for. What other parents who have read the book say about the book can be valuable advice to you before buying it.

Readability

One thing that all parenting books should have is readability. Experts write fantastic books, but sometimes they forget they are writing for standard parents who aren’t familiar with technical terms. You should check to see what the readability score is of the book you are considering. Some can be very heavy in technical terminology, while others are very straight to the point. Figure out what makes the most sense for you.

If you haven’t already, make sure to go through the best parenting books above to see if anyone of them speak to you. You may just find the help you have been looking for is just a click away. Have a look and pick the book that suits your parenting style most.

Resources— Parenthub, Familymatters