Parenting books aren’t the end-all and be-all of parenting. Still, they can be super helpful as guides for parents figuring out their parenting style, their discipline methods or for parents who need some tips on forming positive emotional connections with their child. Whatever answers you’re looking for, it’s important to continually remind yourself that there is no such thing as the perfect parent. Your parenting style and methods should take into consideration your personal circumstances, your child’s needs as well as personality. 

It’s really important that you take your specificities into consideration when conducting your parenting research. Not only will you save money on buying a variety of books that you might not be able to get through, but you’ll also read books that are more likely to peak your interests and cater to your parenting needs and desires. 

To help in your parenting research, we’ve compiled just some examples of great parenting books for you and your child. Happy reading!

The Conscious Parent by Dr Shefali Tsabary

Our first recommendation was suggested to us by our March cover star Relebogile Mabotja. This book guides us away from parenting methods that assume the adult is the all-knowing figure in the family and strengthens the need to be self-reflective and open to learning. “The objective of this book is to illumine how we might identify and capitalize on the emotional and spiritual lessons inherent in the parenting process so that we can use them for our own development, which in turn will result in the ability to parent more effectively,” says Dr Shefali. This Oprah Winfrey-endorsed book has also been praised for its potential to revolutionise parenting.

Gender Neutral Parenting: Raising Kids with the Freedom to be Themselves by Paige Lucas-Stannard

There have always been children who naturally explored gender and (once of age) sexual orientation in ways that are contrary to societal standards. We’re only just catching up to it now. Our current and past negative perceptions of queerness has often lead to traumatic childhoods caused by our discrimination towards queer people. Whether you’re an LGBTQI+ parent, cis-gendered, teacher or child caretaker, this book is ideal, especially if you’re seeking to counteract damaging stereotypes that unnecessarily divide men, women and gender-neutral folks. The book is also helpful if you wanna help your child be more adept at consuming gender-centred media in much more critical ways.

Natural Pregnancy Guide: Empowering Moms To Make Healthy Choices by Laurena White

Taking control of your birthing experience is much more empowering than some might think and having the appropriate knowledge to make the right decisions for yourself is key in this process. In this book, you’ll learn about birth plans and which ones to choose according to what you need and desire. This science-supported book will also provide you with information on relaxation techniques, essential oil therapy, plant-based nutrition, physical exercises safe for pregnant women and so much more. 

How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids: Effective strategies for stressed out parents Kindle by Carla Naumburg

Kids having temper tantrums is totally normal, because they oftentimes don’t have all the tools for proper communication. And although no one is calling you a bad parent for yelling and screaming, it’s important that we try and gain more power and control over our emotions when we’re going through the parenting process. As the saying goes, children often learn good and bad behaviour from their parents. This book humorous book sympathizes with overworked, stressed-out parents who are looking to be more calm, rational and intentional in their parenting style. In other words and as the title suggests, it aims to lead you into a more mindful parenting style that prevents you from losing your sh*t with your kids.

Fatherhood: Rising to the Ultimate Challenge by Etan Thomas with Nick Chiles

It’s not fair. Parenting books are oftentimes centred on moms and dads are usually left on the back burner when it comes to baby talk. However, the modern dad needs to be just as informed about parenting in the same ways that any mother should. This in-depth mediation on fatherhood is a must-read for reflective fathers. In this book, NBA player, Etan Thomas relates his fatherhood journey and also gathers groups of men from the industries of sports, music and media to share their experiences too. Other important themes in the book include blackness and race, single-parent households and black masculinity.

The Second Shift by Arlie Hochschild, with Anne Machung

Although The Second Shift was published first in 1989, the topics it tackles about the leisure gap between heterosexual couples and the burdens of housework and childcare on women are still relevant. The book paints an in-depth portrait of couples experiencing ‘the second shift’, that time and energy that parents put into post-work activities and the effects in the latter on a relationship. The book goes into the myths that feminist women sometimes tell themselves to lessen the tension with non-cooperative partners and looks at the way women’s roles in the home have experienced a dramatic shift, while men’s roles have largely stayed the same. The book is great if you and your partner both read it with the aim of wanting to foster a healthier, stronger relationship with more sympathy and better communication.