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If you want your kiddo to grow up to be well-behaved and successful, forget gentle parenting – oftentimes it won’t work so try authoritative parenting instead.
Indeed, there is a lot of evidence out there that shows that kids brought up by authoritative parents are more likely to become high achievers in life (academically, socially, career-wise, etc.).
Which brings to what I want us to look at briefly in this article: books on authoritative parenting.
Since you may not be sure where to start or whether what you’re doing is really authoritative parenting, you need to go through some of these books.
You see, they have a lot of rich information and tips on this widely acclaimed and revolutionary parenting style and you’ll probably end up becoming a better authoritative parent- and a proud parent to hugely successful kids down the road.
Here are our favorite books on authoritative parenting if you have been looking for the best books on authoritative parenting:
Books on authoritative parenting – Books every parent should read
Positive Discipline series –Jane Nelsen
Jane Nelsen, educator, distinguished psychologist, and mother of 7 has written a super insightful book on dispending authoritative discipline in this classic.
You’ll learn how to be both kind and firm so that your child–from a stubborn 3-year-old toddler to an insanely rebellious teenager–can understand self-discipline and start cooperating.
The key theme is Positive Discipline, which is essentially a method of guiding and teaching kids by letting him/her know what behaviors are acceptable in a style that is firm but kind.
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk- Adele Feber, Elaine Mazlish
This is another oldie but a gem that still provides fresh nuggets and fantastic ideas for parents who are out to find out ways to promote self-discipline in their children.
It’s quite good and even includes very practical strategies for coping with your kiddo’s negative feelings (anger, frustration, and disappointment).
We tend to agree with those who have called it the ultimate parenting bible- Yeah, it is such impressive!
Parenting with Love and Logic-Foster Cline, Jim Fay
This one also resonates well with parents who are into authoritative parenting and will, in all likelihood, transform you into a healthier version of an authoritative parent.
In a nutshell, by practicing what is taught in the book (there are a lot of easy-to-implement steps), you’re likely to raise self-confident and highly motivated kids who are ready to conquer the real world.
Check the newer edition of the book here.
The Whole Brain Child-David Siegel
This book focuses on helping you get into your kid’s brain because if you do, then you will surely have an easier time during the otherwise endlessly challenging childhood years.
It is another extraordinarily smart positive discipline book so it is helpful if you want to become a better authoritative parent.
Read its reviews on Amazon.
Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting- Noel Janis-Norton
This book is not specifically on authoritative parenting but the five strategies it recommends to end daily fights with your kids will help you greatly as you try to become more authoritative.
In short, Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting is all about bringing joy back into your family and it has helped countless parents bring up confident, disciplined adults.
More amazing resources on parenting
In addition to devouring the above great books on authoritative parenting, you may want to check out the following parenting resources:
How Toddlers Thrive – good for Children Aged 2-5
This is not really a parenting guide on authoritative parenting — it won’t teach you much about how to authoritatively parent but it will help you better understand your toddler’s mindset, which will in turn help you have better interactions with them.
Yale ABCs of Childrearing course(free)
The course eschews abstract concepts and instead introduces you to concrete methods that will make your parenting easier and more effective.
Indeed, you can look at the course as a toolkit of wonderful behavior-change techniques that, if applied well, will see you gradually influence your child’s behaviors to what you’d like to see.
The course is helpful for parents of both younger children and adolescents.
Lansbury Unruffled (Podcast)
This is an amazing podcast by Janet Lansbury, a parenting expert who has written two fantastic books on properly parenting babies and toddlers.
She shares precious wisdom and advice that will go a long way in making you feel calmer and more confident as a parent even in the face of persistent meltdowns and defiance from your child.
Simplicity Parenting-Kim John Payne, Lisa M. Ross
This book teaches us something we have long forgotten as parents: bringing up a responsible child has everything to do with trusting our kids more and doing less.
In other words, by simplifying your relationships with your child, you can make your home a sanctuary that will nurture your kid’s identity, well-being, resiliency, and more as he/she grows–slowly–into the very best version of themselves.
It’s one of the best manifestos for guiding the typically difficult childhood years out there.
Final words
The truth is not many books have been specifically written on authoritative parenting (for some strange reason) so you may not have many options away from the books we have suggested here.
That explains why our list includes other general parenting books and other resources that reinforce the concept of “authoritative” parenting so you may want to go through everything you can.
Good luck and may your child become a high achiever down the road!
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