From Birth To Teen Years: Books That Helped Us Through The Hard Times

Expert advice about raising kids at every age

Your baby’s cough sounds like a seal barking and you have no idea what to do. Your toddler threw his 10 billionth tantrum and you’re at your wit’s end. Your teen just lied to you, again, and you need help. Mamas, we’ve been there. And the only reason we can laugh now is we had some amazing backup to help us through those tough periods. Here is a list of the books that got us through the hardest parenting moments:

Baby To Preschool

Dr. Spock’s Baby And Child Care
Now in its ninth edition, this book has been a favourite of American parents for decades. I remember my own mum flipping through its pages to see why my rash looked so threatening (it turned out to be an allergic reaction). Whether your child’s cough sounds like a seal (she most likely has croup), or you need a little help understanding immunisations or even nutrition, Dr. Spock is the book to have on hand.

Available at Amazon

Happy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth
When I had my first baby I complained to my friend that she was a terrible sleeper. My wise friend Wendy asked, “Have you read ‘Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child’?” I told her I hadn’t (I was so tired I couldn’t fathom reading directions, let alone a book). “Do it,” she said. “You’ll thank me later.”

She was right. And for those of you who have this problem with children of any age, you’ll thank her as well. Dr. Marc Weissbluth is a master at getting your child to sleep through the night. My only wish was that I knew about his methods before I had a baby so I could have avoided the dreaded “sleep training.”

Available at Amazon 

Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Dr. Richard Ferber
Another book about helping mamas get some sleep (please!), this somewhat controversial book is beloved by many mamas I know. Ferber explains basic information all parents should know about the importance and nature of sleep, and he addresses common sleep problems (and solutions!) at all ages.

Available at The Book Depository

The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley
With a major focus on understanding baby’s biorhythms, this gentle alternative to Ferber’s “Crying It Out” approach is filled with different strategies for sleep deprived parents to try, without the stress of baby sobs.

Available at Amazon

Read more: Best Baby Sleep Books and Top Sleep Experts in Singapore and Beyond

What To Expect The First Year
If you’re a fan of What To Expect When You’re Expecting, you’ll love this first year month-by-month guide for your baby. It addresses all the fundamentals of baby care, crib safety, feeding issues and even controversial topics (co-sleeping, attachment parenting, etc).

Available at Book Depository

The New Contented Little Baby Book: The Secret to Calm and Confident Parenting by Gina Ford

Gina Ford certainly hit a nerve with this book and we dare say you’ll never meet anyone who has read it who doesn’t have a very strong opinion about her methods. It is love or hate, and those in the hate camp probably stopped reading part way through. If you’re keen to have your infant on a tight schedule — and don’t forget, that means mama is also on a tight schedule — then this book might be for you. Ford instructs on precisely when to wake, feed and put your baby to sleep — including directions such as avoiding eye contact with your infant so they know it is bed time. She also tells you when to eat and drink (while it sounds nuts, it is easy to forget in those first few weeks!).

Available at Amazon

The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp
No shock to mums here – we would do anything to stop our babies from crying uncontrollably! Dr. Harvey Karp shares his thoughts and methods on getting your infant and baby to stop crying. He begins by suggesting mums create a “fourth trimester” (a womblike atmosphere to calm your baby), and offers great tips and tricks to soothe even the most colicky babies. And we are SO curious about whether his new SNOO Sleeper bassinet is effective enough to justify its hefty $1,000+ price tag!

Available at Amazon

The Happiest Toddler on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp
Oh, your toddler throws tantrums? Join the club! Don’t fret, because tantrums are just your little one’s way of expressing frustration because he (or she) lacks the words to do so. Dr. Karp offers more of his soothing methods for dealing with tantrums, meltdowns and more.

Available at Amazon 

Elementary School To Teen

Children: The Challenge by Rudolf Dreikurs and Vicki Soltz
If that title alone doesn’t say it all, I don’t know what will. My children attended a Montessori preschool and the teachers, when they heard about my ‘challenging’ girls, suggested I read this book. Its loving approach to parenting made sense to me, and allowed me to parent without shaming or making my child feel guilty.

Available at Book Depository

John Rosemond’s New Parent Power
Think of this as a guidebook for your bumpy journey of raising kids. It begins with the toddler years (you’ll need it for the Terrible Twos and Threes) and goes all the way up to tween and teen years. John Rosemond is a family psychologist. He’s directed mental health programs and works with families and children. This book is aimed at offering traditional, non-psychological parenting, and it features many real questions from parents about common child-rearing issues. He addresses these one by one and offers great advice on how to deal with them.

Available at Amazon

Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen
If you’re anything like I am, you don’t want to punish your kids and would rather teach your children natural consequences. They didn’t ask permission to use the computer? No computer time for two days. They didn’t take care of the camera they asked to borrow? They don’t get that camera next time they ask. This book is all about consequences that make sense and how to raise kids with love and respect.

Available at Amazon 

The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults by Frances E. Jensen
It doesn’t take a book to figure out that being the parent of a teen is the hardest job you’ll ever have! But the absolute best part of this book is that it does help you understand why, when you have spent years teaching your kids right from wrong, they will take chances that may scare you. And you know what? It’s not your fault! Highly recommended by teachers and parents, this book is one I have on my nightstand.

Available at Amazon

Read more: The Importance of Growth Mindset, and How to Boost It