In this Help a Mother Out, it’s a dad who is looking for help. In this feature, we ask you, our readers and other moms and dads, to help out with your best advice in comments. We haven’t written one in awhile, but we’re bringing it back.
A Facebook friend recently asked for advice on the best parenting books to help discipline his three year old. Recommendations came pouring in immediately. People suggested How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline For Children 2 -12, Touchpoints: Birth to 3 : Your Child’s Emotional and Behavioral Development, The Happiest Toddler on the Block: The New Way to Stop the Daily Battle of Wills and Raise a Secure and Well-Behaved One- to Four-Year-Old—and the list went on.
It made me laugh, because I had just seen this sketch from Portandia and couldn’t help but crack up:
I’ll admit, I was a bit like these parents when my first daughter was a baby. When she wouldn’t sleep AT ALL, I took advice from Dr. Weissbluth. When she was a tyrant three year old, 1-2-3 Magic was my Bible. Of course there are parenting books that I haven’t liked—you can keep your Tiger Mom or French superior parenting. But others would disagree with me. The key is to parenting books, is to find one that feels right to you.
So readers, what books on parenting have helped you? Help this father out and give him your Parenting Book recommendations.