Children don’t come with an instruction manual. They can be at once mean, gentle, selfish, generous, predictable, confusing, sad, and joyful. So, how can a parent cope with a situation where they have to bear with such perplexing offspring? Considering the complex interactions of children, parents, and surroundings, parents often end up feeling lost.
For all the parents who question their ability to be good parents, parenting books can be of great help. However, since there are a great number of parenting books available, many parents get confused when it comes to picking up a parenting book to read.
Here are a few things parents need to be considerate about to know if a parenting book is worth reading or not.
Who Wrote the Book and Why?
A good author does not need a Ph.D. degree. However, if a person had an advanced degree in a particular area related to parenting, they can be better at understanding the struggles that come with being a parent. Also, they can interpret relevant research better.
Moreover, to have maximum knowledge about building family trust, you also have to consider the author’s experience as well. Surely, not having children does not disqualify a person from being a good parenting books writer; however, this aspect should be thoughtfully considered. A person can have a great deal of knowledge about parenting, but only a parenting experience can add valuable insight and depth into what the person already knows about parenting.
Also, while looking through online parenting books, make sure to not let books written by celebrities fool you. Most of these books are written by ghostwriters and designed to build a brand.
What is the Book Based On?
While choosing a parenting book to read, you have to make sure the book is based on facts and includes authentic information. But, how can you know if a book is well-documented in science? You can look for names of researchers, citations, sources, and an index.
In addition to that, if the parenting book you intend to read is not consistent with the basic guidelines of parenting. You have to make sure the book is based on science rather than personal belief or opinion. Surely, belief and opinion do have a place, but science holds a greater amount of significance and tends to be better in this space.
Is the Book Realistic?
One thing that all of the best parenting books have in common is that they don’t let the readers set unrealistic expectations. Instead of telling the readers that all of their tips and tricks are going to always work, these books also make the readers acquainted with the possible failures.
Moreover, a good parenting book also appreciates complexity and context and informs the readers that they cannot find answers to all of their problems in the book. Indeed, no parent is perfect; however, recognizing failures and weaknesses can lead to substantial improvement and growth. Even parents who are best at everything can have kids who end up being wayward.
