Resources |

As a high school student I remember seeking out advice from the “cool “college girls in my youth group about what college to go to, what classes to take, what to professors to avoid, etc. Once in college, I asked upper class-men questions about balance, clubs to join, churches to attend, how to dress for interviews and write a resume. I often asked the women who were mentors to me in my church who also happened to be Moms raising young children, “How to” questions. How do you teach your kids scripture? How do you teach them to obey? And then after college, I sought out teachers who were doing an excellent job and asked questions about procedures, routines, grading, classroom management. I asked Bible teachers who were married questions about dating and marriage. I asked them about motherhood. Wired in me from a young age has been this desire to be a life-long learner. Along with seeking out advice from older women I admire, I often go to books for advice. Here are some of my favorites on parenting:

1. Parenting. I love this book because it talks about getting to the heart. If you are looking for practical tips, I have some other books to recommend. But this one is a great place to get an overall perspective, the “Why” behind your parenting. It’s so good to make sure you and your child’s father have talked about what your goal is in parenting. To have that end goal in mind helps drive every other choice you make.

2. How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen This book is probably my favorite one right now. it is FULL of practical advice, helpful stories where you can see actual verbiage to use when speaking with your kiddos and encouraging cooperation. It is full of tips from everything to how to make the morning exit go more smoothly, to how to handle conflict, to food battles to lying. While I don’t agree with everything the book says, I LOVE the practical advice and have found the tips suggested very productive with my boys.

3. Love and Logic, the Early Years. I checked this book out on tape from our local library just before Caleb was 2 when he was just beginning to have a lot of tantrums and David was a tiny baby (who has time to read when your baby isn’t sleeping?). I loved being able to listen to it, and like the book mentioned above, I found the anecdotes extremely helpful. The basic ideology behind Love and Logic curriculum is giving children choices (that you are okay with) to help share the control and encourage cooperation.

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