Very very often we get queries on Parenting Books and our kbc members share the ones that have worked for them.
NEW RELEASE – NOV 22, 2021
Sleeping Like a Baby by kbcMembers Himani Dalmia & Neha Bhatt. Read Kausar’s outstanding review here. A must must have for every parent with children in the 0-5 years age group.
All You Need Is Love Achira highly recommends this book. To quote her:
A perfect book which is not preachy but let’s us introspect and understand what is parenting all about. The concept of building the connect with our kids and have fun in the journey of being parents to little humans is what touched me about this book.
Quoting Sabah from her post while she was reading this highly recommended book – How To Talk So Kids Will Listen And Listen So Kids Will Talk
When I was expecting my second, I met with equal amounts of “oh you’re so brave” and “oh koi nahi yaar, doosre toh pal jaate hain (translated: seconds don’t require a whole lot raising)”. But of course I had no idea which if either were true. My first born wasn’t only smooth sailing, but he is a calm, content and innately logical child. With time I learnt conversations and the explanation of consequences were my biggest tools (along with buckets of love of course). When my second was born, a spritely little firecracker, I fumbled. I waited for her to turn into her even minded brother, to develop that sense of tranquility, and understand the idea of cause and effect. Uff. In my head I knew no two children are the same, but there was something obstinate in me that refused to see her inherently different qualities and find ways to manage those, to help her thrive. I will honestly say, it took me a year and a half to stop waiting, and it has taken me another year to accept that I need to “retool” myself to nourish and shelter the big love and big emotions that my little girl holds in her heart (and sometimes in her hands or feet or mouth). So this weekend I’ve decided to reach out to my best mates for help. Books. I’m not one to indulge in parenting bibles and it’s been a long while (those sleepless nights) since I’ve read one, but How to Talk so Kids will Listen and How to Listen so Kids will Talk comes highly recommended.
How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen (for parents who have kids ages 2 – 7 years)
How To Talk: Siblings Without Rivalry
Raising a Humanist (read review here): Excerpt:
Not only does the book list out issues which are very relevant and up-to-date with today’s time but it also gives us handy self-analysis tools and practical solutions with real-life examples to overcome them. You can expect guidance on varied topics – which range from helping children stand-up to bullies to using internet productively and creating safe online space from pedophiles, bullies, scamsters, and extremists. It touches upon ‘authoritarian parenting’ v. ‘involved parenting’ for encouraging responsive interactions and raise adults full of self-love, strong mental health and self-confidence with healthy habits.
The Conscious Parent by Shefali Tsabary
How Your Personality Makes Or Breaks Your Child
Parenting Tips For Indian Parents
Scholastic: How To Motivate Your Child (99 easy things to do) – lots of our parents have enjoyed this book as it has very simple and practical pointers which are easy to put into practice.
Building A Happy Family: 11 Practices of Mindful Parenting
How Not To Hate Your Husband After Kids
How To Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids
Active Parenting: How to Raise Children with Boundless Potential by Ramgopal Vallath – this is a new release, an Indian book! Read Kausar Makki’s detailed review here.
Two of our other kbc members Pooja Rathod & Selvakani Selvaraj have highly recommended it. Quoting Pooja:
The best part about the book are the real world snippets discussing the challenges the parents faced and how their reactions made the situations better or worse. How they handled it, their interpretation, their mistakes, their confessions, how they explained it to their child when necessary. Many of the challenges seemed so relatable yet their outcomes were different just because they were addressed in a rational rather effective way.
Quoting Selvakani:
I write this review with an awe for real life stories, that are deep and profound. The forward itself is heartfelt ode to his father on parenting. What moved me to tears thinking of my parents (who are very active and lead a role model life for us at home), is the following excerpt from the book. “That is what great parents do-they live on for centuries after their physical selves depart, through the thoughts and values that they have bequeathed to their children. Their influence is boundless across generations” That line hooked me up so much that I fell in the pool of gratitude for my grand parents and parents instantly. As I read the book, I laughed out loud heartily, became thoughtful at my own parenting style and admired RamG’s ability to write a really funny line yet make it so much real
The Explosive Child [Sixth Edition] : A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children
NEW RELEASE NOV 2023: Raising Stars: The Challenges and Joys of Being a Bollywood Parent by Rashmi Uchil, published by Fingerprint! Publishing. We have at least 20 awesome reviews in our facebook group. Read one here.
It’s Your Baby by Dr Saroja Balan
The Elephant in the Womb by Kalki Koechlin
Mommy Burnout: How to Reclaim Your Life and Raise Healthier Children in the Process Divya highly recommends it! Read detailed review here.
Power to the Parent: Parents Who Know Better, Do Better
Notes For Healthy Kids And Parents Too!!
The Happiest Baby Guide To Great Sleep
The Happiest Baby On The Block
The Happiest Toddler On The Block
Mindful Parenting: The First 1000 Days
The Mommy Shorts Guide To Remarkably Average Parenting
How Your Child Can Win In Life
Keep Calm And Mommy On (indian book)
Parenting: Innocence To Innersense
Building Resilience In Children And Teens
Image: Building Emotionally Safe Spaces For Inclusive And Creative leLarning
Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child
Namrata recommends – The Incredible Years
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (And Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) by Phillipa Perry – Meghana Amal recommends this
Rest Play Grow by Deborah MacNamara – also recommended by Meghana Amal
This Kind of Child: The ‘Disability’ Story
Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder
BOOKS FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH CHILDHOOD TRAUMA
Running on Empty (a book to help heal from childhood emotional neglect) – 2012
Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect – 2016
Running on Empty No More – 2017
DEALING WITH IN-LAWS
Some of our members have requested books on dealing with in-laws. We are sharing all the books that fall under the topic, with a request to everyone to check out the reviews on amazon as we don’t have firsthand feedback on any (unless mentioned)
Rising-In-Love with Your In-Laws: Unlocking the Code to Extraordinary Relationship with Your In-Laws by Savita Sinha
The Mother-in-Law: The Other Woman in Your Marriage by Veena Venugopal
Dealing With In-laws In Marriage: Strategies And Tips To Avoid Conflict To improve Your Relationship With In-laws – this is not an indian book and has very few reviews, but positive ones!
[Note from Team Kids Book Café: For your convenience, affiliate links (MARKED IN PINK) to some of the book titles & images have been added to enable you to buy the books from AMAZON, should you wish to! A very small amount of money comes to kidsbookcafe.com when you purchase a book via the amazon affiliate link provided (at absolutely no extra cost to you!). Do let us know if you need information about other children’s books by writing to asha@kidsbookcafe.com.]