parenting books, guides and manuals.

Nevyn

the good, the bad and the awful.

There are lot of these out there, there sure as hell weren't when my parents had me, so lets what have you got/ were given and what did you make of it.

Crea

A friend advised to decide what type of parent you want to be and then buy a book that matches it. There's no point in getting a book that advocates attachment parenting when you haven't a notion of co-sleeping for example.

I got the Baby Whisperer books and they were the blight of my life on my first. It was just another stick to beat myself with because I couldn't master the method but I didn't really agree with aspects of it so I probably wasn't fully committed.
Now that my children are 2.5 and 4 I find David Coleman brilliant. He is completely on my wavelength in relation to child centred child rearing. Generally I go with my own instincts but if I can't get around a problem (starting playschool for example) then I refer to him and am happy to follow his advice.

simu

I think they're a money-making scam tbh.

Why not just google whatever child-related problem or query you have at a given moment?

Nevyn

I think if you have lots of family to call on who have had kids then you get lots of tips, tricks advice and wisdome ( some great some not so great ) but parenting has changed alot over the last decade or so and not everyone has such family or else they are too far away.

deisemum

My favourite was Dr Christopher Green's Toddler Taming. It also had a sense of humour that came through.

I like David Coleman as well, he comes across as very clued in.

dame

No parenting books yet, just child development books.

1. "What To Expect The First Year",
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Expect-First-Year/dp/0743231880/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265539&sr=8-1
2. "What To Expect The Toddler Years" (both excellent books, I'd highly recommend them),
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Expect-Toddler-Years/dp/0684816776/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265539&sr=8-2
3. "Annabel Karmel's Complete First Year Planner" (a waste of time, didn't have anything "What To Expect" didn't have except a few recipes),
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Annabel-Karmels-Complete-First-Planner/dp/0091888034/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265589&sr=1-6
4. "Child Of Our Time" (Absolutely love this book! It's very well written and full of interesting details and experiments that you can try with your own child to understand how they think and understand the world around them. Accompanies the BBC TV series of the same name)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Child-Time-Robert-M-L-Winston/dp/0593054008/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265623&sr=1-1

Recently ordered "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" from Amazon, after seeing it praised highly be someone on this forum, but haven't got it yet.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Talk-Kids-Will-Listen-Child/dp/1853407054/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265866&sr=1-2

Deliverance

I found this book very good in a psychological sense: http://library.wandsworth.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_005_TitleInformation.aspx?rcn=0710063407

It is a fascinating read as it seemed to relate to my little ones learning and development in lots of ways. It's not to heavy and it is short enough. It's a kind of translation (easily understood version) of 'Piagets' theories of learning, based on the study of his own children. Piaget was a very respected psychologist in his time.

Besides that I have a friend who has a couple of books that she swears by as well in the modern popular rearing sense which are quite good. I'll chuck these titles up as well after I get them from her.

noby

dame wrote: »

No parenting books yet, just child development books.

1. "What To Expect The First Year",
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Expect-First-Year/dp/0743231880/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265539&sr=8-1
2. "What To Expect The Toddler Years" (both excellent books, I'd highly recommend them),
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Expect-Toddler-Years/dp/0684816776/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265539&sr=8-2
3. "Annabel Karmel's Complete First Year Planner" (a waste of time, didn't have anything "What To Expect" didn't have except a few recipes),
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Annabel-Karmels-Complete-First-Planner/dp/0091888034/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265589&sr=1-6
4. "Child Of Our Time" (Absolutely love this book! It's very well written and full of interesting details and experiments that you can try with your own child to understand how they think and understand the world around them. Accompanies the BBC TV series of the same name)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Child-Time-Robert-M-L-Winston/dp/0593054008/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265623&sr=1-1

Recently ordered "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" from Amazon, after seeing it praised highly be someone on this forum, but haven't got it yet.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Talk-Kids-Will-Listen-Child/dp/1853407054/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265866&sr=1-2

We got those 'What to expect..." ones, after getting the "What to expect when you're expecting", and finding it useful and informative.

silja

I am not too fond of the "what to expect" series, I feel they are more frightening than re-assuring at times and the "First Year" one is also very rigid when it comes to some of the things/ routines they suggest.

I love "First Time Parent" by Lucy Atkins: http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Time-Parent-Lucy-Atkins/dp/0007207557/
It's a very basic how-to manual, great for when you don;t have many friends and family with kids, explaining how to bath a newborn, how to care for the umbilical stump etc.

di11on

"How to Parent" was a book originally published by a child psychologist called Dr. Fitzhugh Dodson in the 1970s.

It really is an invaluable resource into the needs, workings and feelings of young children. There is some basic information in this book which you would never hear of in the normal course of events but which would have a profound impact on the way you treat, listen to and raise your children.

It is very enlightening and I would recommend it to any parent.

Children are little human beings and understanding how they work is vital if we are to have any chance at all of doing a decent job of raising them.

I believe that raising our children is the most important function we will ever carry out. Our collective performance in this has a profound impact on society as a whole. It really is amazing that during a normal education through to 3rd level, we won't be thought a single thing about how to do it properly.

Digression over Here's a linky:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Parent-Fitzhugh-Dodson/dp/0451156250

nesf

dame wrote: »

1. "What To Expect The First Year",
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Expect-First-Year/dp/0743231880/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265539&sr=8-1
2. "What To Expect The Toddler Years" (both excellent books, I'd highly recommend them),
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Expect-Toddler-Years/dp/0684816776/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200265539&sr=8-2

I found the first one very good and the second lacking a bit and not as good. Most down to dividing it per month working a lot better for the first year than the second/third imho.

tuppence

nesf wrote: »

I found the first one very good and the second lacking a bit and not as good. Most down to dividing it per month working a lot better for the first year than the second/third imho.

Same here. The first one "What to expect when ure expecting" was a godsend for me. In general the others were great for quick referencing as they have the index on the back. Common compliants and first aid in the same place was envaluable too. In general, they were a good first step to springboard then to some internet sites cited here for further information on specific things.

nesf

tuppence wrote: »

Same here. The first one "What to expect when ure expecting" was a godsend for me. In general the others were great for quick referencing as they have the index on the back. Common compliants and first aid in the same place was envaluable too. In general, they were a good first step to springboard then to some internet sites cited here for further information on specific things.

Yeah the first aid bits are very useful for your first experience of having to judge the severity of a fall and a bang on the head.