UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY HAS BEEN CLOSED. THE RESULTS WILL POST SOON.
This is a giveaway post! Details are listed at the bottom! Happy reading!
My new friend, K, asked me a few weeks ago about the parenting books that I have read and would recommend. I started to list out a few when another friend, Wendy, who was sitting nearby, said that I should just post it here at the blog. Genius. As a mom with three kids (who hasn't run away to live in the wilderness by herself and refer to herself in the third person like a madwoman...oops...just did that), I have had this question asked of me more than a few times. I love to read, and although I don't do everything that I have read about, parenting books really help to guide my methods and attitude about being a mom who doesn't just survive, but thrive. Not sure yet if I am quite in the "thriving" stage, but we can always hope for that. I have been influenced by all the books I'm about to list out, and writing a thorough book review about each one would take hours I don't have...so if you have any more questions about a particular title, comment below or email me at ordinaryalina@gmail.com and perhaps I can remember why I liked it so much!
On the bookshelf in the picture above (left to right):
The Holy Bible - I can't go on without listing this first. I simply would be sunk as a mom without the Bible. If you have no spare change and no friends who can lend you their own parenting books, at least please pour over the Scriptures and see what God Himself has to say about how to be a great parent and how to raise your kids in the ways He sees as best. I guarantee you will not be led astray. Seems to be without saying, but for some of us, we can skip over the Bible and get onto the books with lists like: "10 Ways To Not Screw Up Your Child" and such. Those don't hold a candle to the Bible. Grab a good concordance and search for words like "mother, father, child, train, discipline, raise, love." That's a good place to start. And, if you hate the concordance, then just read through Proverbs (one chapter a day for a month is a great plan) and write down/highlight everything that has to do with parenting. There's a LOT!
The American Academy of Pediatrics: Caring for your baby and young child, Birth to age 5 - This is a great resource that I have poured over three times now and that I refer to especially in the first two years of my kids' lives. I disagree with a lot of their later year parenting theories/techniques (IE: their issues with discipline), but this is a great book to have when the Internet isn't working and you need some answers fast!
Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas - I love his Sacred Marriage book, too!
No Greater Joy (Volumes 1-3) by Michael and Debi Pearl - Some people love 'em, some people don't, but the Pearls have led their five children well by my observations! Of course, we're not BFF's, but I base my opinion off of their children's own testimonies! I love how these three books get practical and real in their letter/answer format. There's an article for just about every situation. Give the Pearls a chance and read these books!
A Survivor's Guide to Homeschooling by Luanne Shackelford & Susan White - I realize this isn't simply about parenting, but it is a great mix of that and how to balance homeschooling in the midst of parenting! I got this book for free this summer and would have paid double the retail price for it. I loved it! (It was printed over twenty years ago, so the sections on curriculum are quite outdated, FYI).
Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men by Bob Shultz - I actually haven't read this one yet! But, I ordered it a few months ago because the title intrigued me so much. With two boys who struggle sometimes with a motivation to work, I am excited to learn from this book!
Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic - This is a hilarious, Christian parenting book written by a mom with 5 kids 5 yrs. and under. Enough said.
The Joy of Training DVD by Michael and Debi Pearl - OK, this isn't a book, but I think it is incredibly helpful resource from the Pearls. It brings their other book, To Train Up A Child, to life in a way that's easier to understand and adds a warmth to their message. I highly recommend it!
E-books on my Kindle:
A Love That Multiplies: An Up-Close View of How They Make It Work by Michelle Duggar and Jim Bob Duggar - I love this book so much! Whether or not you approve of how (wonderfully!) large the Duggar family is, if you have ever seen their show on TLC or read their books, you can observe that they really know how to parent well. Their kids not only behave well, but seem to sincerely love Jesus as they grow up. It is beautiful to see and read about their journey.
The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart For Eternity by Sally Clarkson - I am currently reading this book and am excited to read more, as this book comes highly recommended from several different friends and sources.
Training Children to Be Strong In Spirit by Michael Pearl - This is the newest parenting book from No Greater Joy and I loved it. The foundation is very biblical and he pulls from tons of real-life stories from training his own kids to not only be self-controlled (which is not our chief aim!), but to be strong in their spiritual relationship with the Lord.
Books are currently being lent out:
Don't Make Me Count to Three! by Ginger Plowman - This one isn't on my bookshelf because it is currently being lent out, but it is one of my TOP favorite parenting books! It has been called the practical (unofficial) sequel to Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp. If you liked that book, then this one is a great and necessary next-read. Also, right now it is only $1.99 on Amazon (the Kindle version - which also can be read on a mobile-device, tablet, or even just your computer!). Skip your next to-go coffee and buy this book instead!
To Train Up A Child by Michael and Debi Pearl - This one is a little controversial because some of the issues they discuss is very polarizing; spanking, discipline, homeschooling vs. public school, television, etc. But, I still love this book and I think it has been very foundational in the way we train our kids...and I just tend to pass over the things I personally disagree with or aren't quite sure of. This could be a great approach to every parenting book you read...except the Bible, of course!
Books I have borrowed:
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp - This one should be on your must-buy/borrow/check out from the library book list. It also, ironically, is only $1.99 on Amazon for the Kindle edition. I laughed out loud when I saw that! Two of my fave books for less than $2 each! Seriously! Skip your to-go coffee next week, too! Buy this instead.
The Duggars: 20 and Counting!: Raising One of America's Largest Families - How They Do It by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar - This is the Duggar's first book and it covers all the normal questions..."How and why do you train?" "How do keep on top of laundry?" and "Why in the world do you have so many kids?" It is a great, eye-opening read for those of us who feel overwhelmed because it feels like we have 19 kids, but we actually just have one, or two or five!
Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson - This is a probably already a mainstay for any household with boys. Dr. Dobson uses some great anecdotes from his experience of raising his own son, and from stories that countless others have shared with him. He uses several eye-opening stats about boys today that even though they are from 2005, they are still very helpful.
God, The Rod, And Your Child's Bod: The Art of Loving Correction for Christian Parents by Larry Tomczak - (One of the cheesiest titles around, but a great book, nonetheless! And out of print!) But, you can find it on Amazon for as little as one cent or another used book store if you want to search some more. I really should try and get some royalties from Amazon or something! I link to them a lot! To stay on topic, though, this is one of the very first books that I read on child training and it was very fun and very straightforward and practical. A great read and a great help!
That's it for my list (or, at least, all the ones my brain could manage to remember!)...but, now, I want to hear about some titles I didn't mention that YOU really have enjoyed. I wrote this post to be a sort of referencing point for anyone wanting to get a good list of resources to learn from in the journey of parenting. I have come nowhere close to reading all there is to read, so that's where you come in! Help me fill in the gaps!
Giveaway Details: Please comment below about one title that you have never read and are interested in reading next, and to qualify for a second entry, please list out some of your favorite parenting books that I didn't mention in my list above. For a third possible entry, you can subscribe to my blog and then comment after you did it! On December 16th, I will randomly select a winner from the entries in the comments and will post the results here by the end of that day.
The winner will receive the book title that you listed in the comments - hopefully just in time for Christmas!
Make sure to check back to see if you've won, and email me your mailing address (or email address for a Kindle edition of the book) if you are that blessed person! And, feel free to share this with your friends! Don't you just love giveaways? I know your friends will too!
