Bibliography on Parenting Books

Being a librarian makes me want to compile bibliographies. So here's a list in alphabetical order of my very favorite parenting books (so far) with short descriptions. Soon I'll make a list of Elizabeth's current favorite books, too.

1. Baby Hearts, by Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn
This one is about emotional intelligence in babies from birth to age 3 by the authors of the book on baby signing. Sound information but not super in-depth on the scientific research, which makes it a pretty quick and easy read. Published in 2005.

2. The Fussy Baby Book. Parenting Your High-Need Child From Birth to Age Five, by William and Martha Sears
Thank goodness there is a book on high-need babies so I know I'm not insane. Also great if your parenting style isn't the same as most of the people around you. High-need children come as they are and need extremely high nurturing parenting. Describes all the wonderful qualities high-need children have to offer, especially as they grow. Very encouraging.

3. Grace Based Parenting, by Tim Kimmel
Tim Kimmel points out all the ways God handles us with infinite grace as our heavenly Father and ways to reflect that to our children as well. Great book for seeing the big picture of parenting.

4. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
How to save yourself and your kids energy and gain cooperation by learning good communication techniques (that are useful for communicating with anyone!). Extremely practical and down to earth with lots of realistic scenarios and practice exercises. I knew I would love this book when I read the first sentence--"I was a wonderful parent before I had children."

5. Positive Discipline, by Jane Nelsen
Using positive techniques (such as training, natural consequences, evaluation) and principles of mutual respect for discipline. Also explains the long-term negative effects of punishment and how to take advantage of opportunities to teach responsibility.

6. Waiting for Birdy, by Catherine Newman
A novel about a woman with a toddler and one on the way. It follows her story through the baby's birth and newbornhood. It's hilarious because it's true.

7. What's Going on In There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life, by Lise Eliot
I can't resist these kinds of books--I just love getting a little glimpse of how babies put things together. This book has lots of research (prenatally and after birth) on the senses, social emotional growth, language, and intelligence. Paperback version published in 2000.

8. Your Child's Growing Mind, by Jane M. Healy
Great scientific, but still readable, information about how babies through teenagers learn. How learning (memory, language, reading skills) builds on itself and good developmental timetables for what to expect. First published in 1987, updated in 1994 and 2004.

Honorable Mentions
9. Mothering Your Nursing Toddler, by Norma Jane Bumgarner
I never ever planned to be nursing a toddler. This book helped me make the transition and feel happy about my decision.

10. The No-Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley
I really like this book and I like Elizabeth Pantley's advice. No sleep book has been The One for us, but this is by far the best of our bunch--and the most realistic. Completely and utterly opposite philosophy from Babywise and much softer than Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.

So that didn't go well...

Elizabeth's first day at nursery while I started Community Bible Study was basically as much of a train wreck as I was worried it would be. Poor Elizabeth! Poor me! I was super nervous on the way, but when I arrived at her room and mentioned that she would not take the separation well, they told me to hand her off quickly and leave. So I did, despite that she started panicking the second she was out of my arms. They were very nice and told me she'd be okay. As I walked away listening to her screaming in complete terror, I told myself not to cry. I sat in the lobby for a few minutes just waiting for one of the nursery workers to try and find me. My eyes kept watering up on me anyway.

The study started a little while after that, and every time the door opened I couldn't help but wonder if it was about her! But after 15 or 20 minutes, I started to relax just slightly. That was when they actually DID come for me, handed me her things, and told me we'd try again next week. Oh no! It was that bad that we needed to go straight home? Yikes. She wasn't actually in her room and it took a few minutes to find her with one of the aides who was there to help with the cryers. After she calmed down, I decided to take her back in the room and sit with her, so as not to end things on a bad note entirely. She was okay as long as she was either on my lap or right next to me with her red eyes and puffy little face.

Elizabeth has been like this from the time she was about three months old--she is not distractable. The good news is that the teachers are very good and that next week, I have a plan to sit with her for ten minutes before I say goodbye and leave. Then I'll come back in ten more minutes if she can't calm down. Rocky start, but we're going to work on it.

All the crying wore her out. She fell asleep on the way home. But by the time she woke up from her nap, we were both much, much recovered.

Just some pics for fun

I've been in a major picture-taking mood. Unfortunately, my camera isn't doing so well. The lens doesn't close anymore and sometimes I have to pinch it together where the body is coming apart so that it will download properly, but I persevere!

This is Elizabeth's new tricycle from Target. Her legs are just slightly too short to pedal, but she LOVES it and makes me push her up and down our street until my back starts to burn.


Notice the doll stroller in the background, which she LOVES to push around the neighborhood...


My current favorite picture! I am beside myself with pigtails right now.


Per another mom's advice, I went to Michael's and bought like a million rolls of thin ribbon (3 or $1!) so I could have all different colors and not worry if they get lost!


Preparing to kiss her baby...


And the kiss itself!


Also, tomorrow I start CBS (Community Bible Study), which means that Elizabeth will be in a preschool/nursery type setting on her own really for the first time. I'm pretty nervous that she's going to object. I already forewarned her teacher that things are not likely to go well, but I'm hoping she'll learn to enjoy it after the first few times!