Books can be brilliant allies offering ideas, reassurance, and practical strategies at every stage. Whether you want to learn about gentle methods for discipline, better communication, or ways to build everyday connection, these books will help.
Recommended Parenting Books
1. The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) — Philippa Perry
This compassionate and wise guide emphasises that there’s no perfect parent – but there are ways to connect more deeply with our children. Perry offers practical tools to understand our emotional responses, break negative cycles, and listen – really listen – to our children. Reviewers praise its empathetic tone and clarity; The Guardian describes it as “like a letter from a wise friend” and notes it spent months on bestseller lists.
2. The Whole-Brain Child — Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
A science-backed yet accessible book that explains how a child’s developing brain works. Through 12 smart, helpful strategies such as “name it to tame it” and “connect through conflict”, parents are shown how to respond to children in ways that build emotional regulation, resilience, and connection.
3. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk — Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
A timeless classic on communication, offering empathetic and respectful techniques for connecting with children. The book helps parents and children speak, listen, and cooperate better, transforming everyday conflicts into opportunities for understanding and deeper bonds.
4. How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2–7 — Joanna Faber & Julie King
This practical guide offers parents of toddlers and young children effective strategies to address challenging behaviours and foster cooperation. It emphasizes acknowledging children’s feelings, using imaginative play, and offering choices to encourage positive behaviour. The book is divided into two parts: the first provides an overview of tools and techniques, while the second presents real-life scenarios to demonstrate their application.
5. How to Talk When Kids Won’t Listen: Whining, Fighting, Meltdowns, Defiance, and Other Challenges — Joanna Faber & Julie King
Building upon the foundation laid in their earlier works, Faber and King deal with more complex issues faced by parents, such as defiance, sibling rivalry, and emotional meltdowns. They offer concrete strategies for validating children’s feelings, teaching emotional regulation, and fostering cooperation. The book provides tools to transform challenging moments into opportunities for connection and growth.