[clarion_excerpt]

Summer Reading for Parents

Parents are continuously learning and growing with their children, and sometimes in the moments when we most need new tools and techniques, we feel stuck. Using the extra family time in summer months to find resources and practice new strategies can help parents become more confident and capable, improving communication with children. We have selected some of the most inspiring and helpful parenting and education books from the past few years and put together this list, covering a range of ages and topics. We hope you find something here that resonates with you!

How to Be a Happier Parent: Raising a Family, Having a Life and Loving (Almost) Every Minute by K. J. Dell'Antonia

K.J. Dell’Antonia is a writer who for many years wrote the column Motherlode in the New York Times. She recently published her book, an inspiring collection of relatable stories and tips for achieving a family/work/life balance where parents and children thrive.

Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschoolby Emily Oster

Emily Oster is an economist who looks at some of the trends in parenting from an analytical perspective. The outcome is a reassuring and extremely informative book that helps parents focus on the big picture rather than listening to all the noise about the many choices we make.

Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls by Lisa Damour

Lisa Damour’s new book is a beautifully-written toolkit for parenting through the pressure of modern-day childhood and adolescence. Rather than take the approach that our children are under too much pressure, she deconstructs stress and anxiety to help us understand what is healthy and expected. She provides tools for parenting to help our children manage stress and create growth. While Lisa Damour focuses her research on girls, most of the content applies to all children and families.

How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success by Julie Lythcott-Haims

One of the most popular parenting books in recent years, Julie Lythcott-Haims looks at how the helicopter and snow-plow parenting impacts our children and undermines their autonomy. She teaches us to offer opportunities to be independent and then step back and empower our children to develop their own abilities.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Susan Cain’s book is incredibly helpful for parents to better understand personality types and communication styles. Whether you are the introvert or your child is an introvert, this book offers insightful new ways of looking at people’s hidden gifts, and how we can unlock them to create better communication within our families and as we advocate for our children in the world.

Now Say This: The Right Words to Solve Every Parenting Dilemma by Julie Wright and Heather Turgeon

In those moments when we most need effective communication, we often lose our ability to find the right words. This leads to emotional outbursts and lost opportunities to build relationships and understanding. Julie Wright and Heather Turgeon break conflict and behavior into categories and provide a simple three-step approach to identify and consistently use effective language in each situation. This book is particularly helpful for parents of pre-school and early school-aged children to build a foundation that will help for years to come.

The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Livesby Ned Johnson and William Stixrud

With expertise in different age ranges, Johnson and Stixrud provide an outline for encouraging self-control and emotional regulation over the course of childhood. They demonstrate how developing trust rather than micromanaging decisions sets our children up for success.

The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever-And What to Do About It by Katherine Reynolds Lewis

Journalist Katherine Reynolds-Lewis takes a societal view of discipline and parenting and identifies the problematic ways that we respond to issues with our children. By using stories to demonstrate outcomes, Reynolds-Lewis has written a relatable book with clear examples for parents to follow. Her model offers ways for parents and children to become more capable and have greater control over their actions and relationships