The following books on parenting have been reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club. They are sorted by Guide Rating, with five stars being best.
11. Parenting With Positive Behavior Support
Cover image courtesy of Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) involves analyzing a child's negative behavior, figuring out what he or she gets or avoids by doing it, and substituting more positive behavior so that parents can have peace and kids can still have their needs met. This book is filled with charts, forms, examples, and wisdom for helping you use PBS to make your child more manageable, your home more peaceful, and your own life more organized, too. Self-help for everyone! 4 Stars
12. A Parent's Guide to Developmental Delays
Cover image courtesy of Laurie LeComer
Into that great gray area of worrying that something might be wrong with your child, but worrying that you might be worrying too much, this book shines like a searchlight. Explaining the different ways development can go awry and offering solid suggestions for assessing your child, it lets you know when you need to seek help, and when you just need to calm down. 4 Stars
13. Raising Your Spirited Child
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
Sometimes, changing your attitude toward your child's behavior is far easier than actually changing that behavior. And in fact, sometimes changing your attitude changes the behavior, too. Appreciating the good qualities in our kids that often appear to be bad qualities is what this book is all about. Your own particular qualities will factor in, too. 4 Stars
14. Supportive Parenting: Becoming an Advocate for Your Child With Special Needs
Cover image courtesy of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Learning your child has special needs is daunting enough -- finding out that this means you will have to become your child's case manager, an expert in all his or her needs and strengths and challenges, can leave a parent feeling seriously unworthy. Author Campito has been there, done that, and taken notes to help parents new to the process, and those who just need some reassurance as they go along, take up the task of fighting their child's good fight. 4 Stars
15. When the Labels Don't Fit
Cover image courtesy of Three Rivers Press
Labels really don't have all that much to do with this helpful, upbeat behavior-management guide to working with your child's traits and temperament. The book's advice will be useful if your child has a diagnosis, if you've decided against getting one, or if the unique mix that is your child defies categorization altogether. 4 Stars
16. Don't Swear With Your Mouth Full
Cover image courtesy of Cary S. Chugh, PhD
If time-limited discipline (say, one minute of time-out for every year of your child's life) hasn't helped in your home, the behavior-limited discipline described here may be worth a try. It involves understanding that release from time-out is a reward, and allowing kids to earn and learn from that reward by practicing what they should have done before they landed in time-out in the first place. It's about giving kids control over their punishment, and self-control's a good goal. 3.5 Stars
17. Freedom From Meltdowns
Stopping your child from having a meltdown may seem about as likely as stopping a volcano from erupting, but Dr. Thompson, author of Dr. Thompson's Straight Talk on Autism, argues that it's possible if you figure out what triggers the tantrum and remove that from your child's environment and experience. That may involve anything from a change in routine to a change in decor, but if it decreases the flow of molten lava through your family life, it's certainly worth the trouble. 3.5 Stars18. The Irreducible Needs of Children
Cover image courtesy of PriceGrabber
One of those needs is probably a parent who doesn't spend so much darn time perusing parenting books, but if you just can't stop reading, this book by two child development gurus offers plenty of food for thought -- on families, childcare, schools, priorities, and respecting differences. They're doing some dreaming here, but it's nice to imagine along. 3.5 Stars
19. Parenting Your Complex Child
Cover image courtesy of AMACOM
Parenting books generally come in one of two types: Experts offer suggestions on how to raise your child, with maybe some case studies thrown in; or parents share their stories of struggle and triumph, with maybe some practical advice thrown in. In this book, author Peggy Lou Morgan tries to do both -- and maybe proves why they really don't mix. 3.5 Stars
20. Show Me You Love Me
Cover image courtesy of Beatify Books
There's something to be said for a book that does one small thing well. You won't get detailed parenting theories or multi-step interventions or advocacy strategies in this slim, greeting-card-sized volume, but if you're looking for ways to make your child feel special, entertained, creative, indulged, maybe a little bit embarrassed but definitely loved, this is your book right here. 3 Stars
21. Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavior
Image courtesy of Lifespan Press
Figuring out what a child's behavior means is one of the great challenges of parenting. Addressing one thing when another thing is causing the problem can be frustrating for both parents and kids, but how do you properly put the puzzle together to get an accurate picture and plan? Child psychologist Steven E. Curtis offers a small book-full of charts and steps to help you do just that, and while it won't take you all the way, it's a good start. 3 Stars
