Parenting Books
I’ve read quite a few books on parenting…These are some of the books that really helped me. In particular, I read stuff about kids with sensory issues, autism spectrum disorders, and just general how to discipline stuff. What I’ve discovered since reading many of these books, is that whether or not your child has special needs; these books deliver valuable information any parent can use.
The Child with Special Needs by Greenspan and Wieder – “Don’t let the title freak you out.” That’s what my son’s OT said when she recommended it to me. It’s an amazing book intended for a broad spectrum of issues including: ADD, ADHD, Autism, and Communication Disorders. I found this book irreplaceable. It completely changed how I interact and communicate with my kids. It opened me up to changing my style and tuning in to my kids.
The Sensory-Sensitive Child by Smith and Gouze – This one was an eye opener. My son is a really sensitive kid. He hears, sees, notices, and feels things way more intensely than I can imagine. If kids are amps and receivers, then he goes to 11. This book gave me great advice to understand, AND gave me great strategies to plan for success.
Raising Your Spirited Child by Kurcinka – “Spirited Child” is just a way of saying, “Why am I having to work so much harder than the other parents?” This is for the parent of the kid that doesn’t just pitch a fit, but rather pitches a head turning, brightly illuminated, vocally gymnastic, world class wrestling event that can reduce a parent to tears in their car. What I liked about this book, was it helped me to question my reactions and strategies. How does my kid need to unwind? How can I help him to recognize when he’s overstimulated? How can I learn and help? Really useful book – Full of anecdotes from other parents which I found comforting.
