Parenting Book Wrap-Up

I recently went through a few parenting books. I gave some more time than others. Here are a few summarizing thoughts.

Grace Based Parenting
Like I've said previously, this is a big-idea book. It will help firm up a foundation for your parenting philosophy, from which you can then make parenting decisions. Key questions from this book: How is my parenting exemplifying God's relationship with his children? How am I preparing and strengthening my child (instead of simply protecting him)?

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers by Tracy Hogg (previously reviewed)
Detail-oriented book. Good while you're in the toddler phase (or, that is, your child is in the toddler phase). Hogg's philosophy is moderate (enforce limits, but no spanking), and she offers a lot of common sense solutions.

The Happiest Toddler on the Block by Harvey Karp, M.D.
I didn't give this book too much time, so if you love it you'll have to tell me why. The main idea of the book is to empathize with your toddler and speak with him in a way that he will understand. Sounds all well and good until the author gave the illustration of a mother and child using his technique. The mother ended up repeating what her toddler was doing (which included pounding and screaming) so that her toddler knew she understood, and then redirecting her toddler using toddler talk. The author also seemed to spend the majority of the book trying to prove that toddlers really were like prehistoric men in their speech, emotions, mental capacity, and behavior. To give you an idea of Karp's parenting philosophy, the discipline chapter is titled, "Gentle Diplomacy: Ways to Set Up and Enforce Limits." While I didn't get too much out of this book, I loved this illustration that Karp took from Your Two-Year-Old by Louise Bates Ames and Fraces Ilg. It describes Caleb's behavior perfectly.

The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson
I didn't get too far into this book. I tried. And tried again. But I couldn't get past the numerous references to the "fact" that men have a greater ability to focus and concentrate than women. If you know me, you know I love to submit to my husband, but I do that based on truth and wisdom, not on undocumented psychological "research." I'm sure there is good in this book; maybe I'll swallow my pride and try again sometime.

Still to read:
Shepherding a Child's Heart
Parenting with Love and Logic
What the Bible Says about Parenting

Any other recommendations?

If you haven't guessed by now, the primary way I learn is by reading. So I plan to read plenty of parenting books in the coming years. I have a lot of learning to do.