Parenting Books of 2018

Today is National Parental Involvement Day.  It is a day to highlight the contributions parents and caregivers provide both at home and at school to help children succeed.  Here are the top parenting books of 2018.

The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever -- And What To Do About It by Katherine Reynolds Lewis - Why don't our kids do what we want them to do? Parents often take the blame for misbehavior, but this obscures a broader trend: in our modern, highly connected age, children have less self-control than ever. About half of the current generation of children will develop a mood or behavioral disorder or a substance addiction by age eighteen. Contemporary kids need to learn independence and responsibility, yet our old ideas of punishments and rewards are preventing this from happening.
To stem this growing crisis of self-regulation, journalist and parenting expert Katherine Reynolds Lewis articulates what she calls The Apprenticeship Model, a new theory of discipline that centers on learning the art of self-control. Blending new scientific research and powerful individual stories of change, Lewis shows that, if we trust our children to face consequences, they will learn to adapt and moderate their own behavior. She watches as chaotic homes become peaceful, bewildered teachers see progress, and her own family grows and evolves in light of these new ideas. You'll recognize your own family in Lewis's sensitive, realistic stories, and you'll find a path to making everyone in your home more capable, kinder, and happier--including yourself.

How to Raise Kind Kids: And Get Respect, Gratitude, and a Happier Family in the Bargain by Thomas Lickona - As our culture grows ever more abrasive and divided, we all want our kids to be kind. But that is not the same as knowing what to do when you catch your son being unkind. A world-renowned developmental psychologist, Dr. Thomas Lickona has led the character education movement in schools for forty years. Now he shares with parents the vital tools they need to bring peace and foster cooperation at home. Kindness doesn't stand on its own. It needs a supporting cast of other essential virtues--like courage, self-control, respect, and gratitude. With concrete examples drawn from the many families Dr. Lickona has worked with over the years and clear tips you can act on tonight, learn how to give and get respect, hold family meetings to tackle persistent problems, discipline in a way that builds character, and improve the dynamic of your relationship with your children while putting them on the path to a happier and more fulfilling life.

Kickflip Boys: A Memoir of Freedom, Rebellion, and the Chaos of Fatherhood by Neal Thompson - With a dispassionate but tender eye, Thompson captures the ache, fizz, yearning and frustration of being the father of adolescent boys--and of adolescence itself, observed and remembered." --Michael Chabon. What makes a good father, and what makes one a failure? Does less-is-more parenting inspire independence and strength, or does it encourage defiance and trouble? Kickflip Boys is the story of a father's struggle to understand his willful skateboarder sons, challengers of authority and convention, to accept his role as a vulnerable "skate dad," and to confront his fears that the boys are destined for an unconventional and potentially fraught future. With searing honesty, Neal Thompson traces his sons' progression through all the stages of skateboarding: splurging on skate shoes and boards, having run-ins with security guards, skipping classes and defying teachers, painting graffiti, drinking and smoking, and more. As the story veers from funny to treacherous and back, from skateparks to the streets, Thompson must confront his complicity and fallibility. He also reflects on his upbringing in rural New Jersey, and his own adventures with skateboards, drugs, danger, and defiance. A story of thrill-seeking teens, of hope and love, freedom and failure, Kickflip Boys reveals a sport and a community that have become a refuge for adolescent boys who don't fit in. Ultimately, it's the survival story of a loving modern American family, of acceptance, forgiveness, and letting go

Man vs. Baby: The Chaos and Comedy of Real-Life Parenting by Matt Coyne - One evening, while his three-month-old son Charlie briefly slept, Matt Coyne staggered to his desk, opened his laptop, and wrote a side-splittingly funny Facebook post about early fatherhood: Comparing his diaper-changing skills to that of a Formula One pit crew, birth to a Saw movie, and the sound of a baby crying at 3am to "having the inside of your skill sandpapered by an angry Viking," he shared his observations with friends and family--and soon, to his surprise, the world. In the spirit of that post, which became an instant sensation, Man vs. Baby is the tale of one man's journey through the first year of parenthood, told with wit, humor, and heart.
Part memoir, part tell-it-like-it-is parenting book, this is a ferociously funny, inventively foul-mouthed, and genuinely touching account of a baby's first year, filled with relatable references to Harry Potter, McDonalds, and the villain in Die Hard. Matt covers everything you need to know, from labor (a good time to play "profanity bingo") to what you might find in your baby's diaper, a catalogue that includes The Phantom, The Expressionist, and The Jeff Goldblum. Capturing both the comic helplessness of new fatherhood and his deep love and admiration for his partner Lyndsay and child, Matt's story will appeal to anyone who has a baby--or is even contemplating the idea. Whether you're looking for a reprieve from the news cycle or a reminder of what's most important in life, Man vs. Baby will have you laughing out loud--and, if you're a new mother or father, filled with relief at being truly understood.
A fresh take on the bewilderment and joy of having a baby from a rip-roaringly talented new voice, this combination memoir and advice book is sure to charm parents everywhere.

No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising Strong, Confident, and Compassionate Girls by Katie Hurley - Once upon a time, mean girls primarily existed in high school, while elementary school-aged girls spent hours at play and enjoyed friendships without much drama. But in this fast-paced world where young girls are exposed to negative behaviors on TV and social media from the moment they enter school, they are also becoming caught up in social hierarchies much earlier. No More Mean Girls is a guide for parents to help their young daughters navigate tricky territories such as friendship building, creating an authentic self, standing up for themselves and others, and expressing themselves in a healthy way.
The need to be liked by others certainly isn't a new concept, but this generation of girls is growing up in an age when the "like" button shows the world just how well-liked they are. When girls acknowledge that they possess positive traits that make them interesting, strong, and likeable, however, the focus shifts and their self-confidence soars; "likes" lose their importance. This book offers actionable steps to help parents empower young girls to be kind, confident leaders who work together and build each other up.

Now Say This: The Right Words to Solve Every Parenting Dilemma by Heather Turgeon & Julie Wright - A toddler meltdown over the wrong pair of pants, siblings fighting in the back of the car, kids crying when you try to leave the house...
Parents have the best intentions to be patient and loving, but in the heat of the moment, they too often find themselves feeling helpless, desperate, and so frustrated that they resort to yelling, threatening, bribing, or caving. Now Say This solves the dilemma: how can you be empathic and effective at once? Based on the popular 3-step "ALP" model the authors have taught thousands of parents in their clinical practice, and written in a friendly, balanced, and research-based tone, Now Say This addresses issues such as,
  *   Tantrums
  *   Engaging cooperation
  *   Sibling relationships
  *   Screentime
  *   Bedtime
Best of all, it answers the question, "Now, what do you actually say?" using scripts and body language from real life examples. Now Say This is a guide that transforms remarkable ideas into practical how-to's that busy parents can use right away.

One Beautiful Dream: The Rollicking Tale of Family Chaos, Personal Passions, and Saying Yes to Them by Jennifer Fulwiler - Pursue your passions, love your family, and say goodbye to guilt--pipe dream or possibility?
Work and family, individuality and motherhood, the creative life and family life--women are told constantly that they can't have it all. One Beautiful Dream is the deeply personal, often humorous tale of what happened when one woman dared to believe that you can have it all--if you're willing to reimagine what having it all looks like.
Jennifer Fulwiler is the last person you might expect to be the mother of six young children. First of all, she's an introvert only child, self-described workaholic, and former atheist who never intended to have a family. Oh, and Jennifer has a blood-clotting disorder exacerbated by pregnancy that has threatened her life on more than one occasion.
One Beautiful Dream is the story of what happens when one woman embarks on the wild experiment of chasing her dreams with multiple kids in diapers. It's the tale of learning that opening your life to others means that everything will get noisy and chaotic, but that it is in this mess that you'll find real joy.
Jennifer's quest takes her in search of wisdom from a cast of colorful characters, including her Ivy-League-educated husband, her Texan mother-in-law who crushes wasps with her fist while arguing with wrong number calls about politics, and a best friend who's never afraid to tell it like it is. Through it all, Jennifer moves toward the realization that the life you need is not the life you would have originally chosen for yourself. And maybe, just maybe, it's better that way.
Hilarious, highly relatable, and brutally honest, Jennifer's story will spark clarity and comfort to your own tug-of-war between all that is good and beautiful about family life and the incredible sacrifice it entails. Parenthood, personal ambitions, family planning, and faith--it's complicated. Let this book be your invitation to the unexpected, yet beautiful dream of saying yes to them all, with God's help.

The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson - A few years ago, Bill Stixrud and Ned Johnson started noticing the same problem from different angles: Even high-performing kids were coming to them acutely stressed and lacking motivation. Many complained they had no control over their lives. Some stumbled in high school or hit college and unraveled. Bill is a clinical neuropsychologist who helps kids gripped by anxiety or struggling to learn. Ned is a motivational coach who runs an elite tutoring service. Together they discovered that the best antidote to stress is to give kids more of a sense of control over their lives. But this doesn't mean giving up your authority as a parent. In this groundbreaking book they reveal how you can actively help your child to sculpt a brain that is resilient, and ready to take on new challenges.
The Self-Driven Child offers a combination of cutting-edge brain science, the latest discoveries in behavioral therapy, and case studies drawn from the thousands of kids and teens Bill and Ned have helped over the years to teach you how to set your child on the real road to success. As parents, we can only drive our kids so far. At some point, they will have to take the wheel and map out their own path. But there is a lot you can do before then to help them tackle the road ahead with resilience and imagination.

Voice Lessons for Parents: What To Say, How to Say It, and When to Listen by Wendy Mogel - Most parents are perfectly fine communicators--unless they're talking to their children. Then, too often, their pitch rises and they come across as pleading, indignant, wounded, outraged. In tone and body language they signal, I can't handle it when you act like a child.
Dr. Wendy Mogel saw this pattern time and again in her clinical practice. In response, she developed a remarkably effective series of "voice lessons," which she shared with parents who were struggling with their kids. The results were immediate: a shift in vocal style led to children who were calmer, listened more attentively, and communicated with more warmth, respect, and sincerity.
In Voice Lessons for Parents, Mogel elaborates on her novel clinical approach, revealing how each age and stage of a child's life brings new opportunities to connect through language. Drawing from sources as diverse as neuroscience, fairy tales, and anthropology, Mogel offers specific guidance for talking to children across the expanse of childhood and adolescence. She also explains the best ways to talk about your child to partners, exes, and grandparents, as well as to teachers, coaches, and caretakers. Throughout the book, Mogel addresses an obstacle that bedevils even the most seasoned and confident parent: the distraction of digital devices, how they impact our connection with our families, and what we can do about it.
Mogel's now classic book, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, is a beloved resource for a generation of parents. Voice Lessons for Parents brings her unique brand of practical wisdom to harried parents eager to deepen their relationships with their kids. "Children will lead you on an incredible journey," writes Mogel, "if they trust you, if you take the time, and if you're willing to follow."

The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson - When facing contentious issues such as screen time, food choices, and bedtime, children often act out or shut down, responding with reactivity instead of receptivity. This is what New York Times bestselling authors Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson call a No Brain response. But our kids can be taught to approach life with openness and curiosity. When kids work from a Yes Brain, they're more willing to take chances and explore. They're more curious and imaginative. They're better at relationships and handling adversity. In The Yes Brain, the authors give parents skills, scripts, and activities to bring kids of all ages into the beneficial "yes" state. You'll learn
* the four fundamentals of the Yes Brain--balance, resilience, insight, and empathy--and how to strengthen them
* the key to knowing when kids need a gentle push out of a comfort zone vs. needing the "cushion" of safety and familiarity
* strategies for navigating away from negative behavioral and emotional states (aggression and withdrawal) and expanding your child's capacity for positivity
The Yes Brain is an essential tool for nurturing positive potential and keeping your child's inner spark glowing and growing strong.