Here is a list of some recommended reading for parents. I will be using some of these books in my study for the current series On Target Parenting. I have read many of the other ones over the years, and they are all very good resources. In this post I am only including books to parents with ideas and principles for parenting. I will post in the future with resources for family activities and devotions. Feel free to respond by giving suggested resources of your own.
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp – this is absolutely the best book I have read on parenting, especially as it relates to the big picture of goals and purposes for parents. This is also the primary resource I am using for the current series.
Pastor Dad by Mark Driscoll – A free book you can find online that is written to dads.
The New Dare to Discipline, Bringing up Boys, The Strong Willed Child, Preparing for Adolescence, all by James Dobson. These are the books Heidi and I cut our teeth on as parents. Dobson is a well known Christian Psychologist and the host of the Focus on the Family radio program. He has great advice for parents. These books really are must-read.
The 10 Commandments of Parenting by Ed Young – the pastor of 2nd Baptist Church in Houston, TX, this is a straightforward book with some practical ideas.
Building Strong Families – Edited by Dennis Rainey – A very solid book with strong theology of family, marriage, parenting. Rainey is the leader of a ministry called Family Life Today and has some incredible resources for parents.
FaithTraining: Raising Kids who Love the Lord by Joe White – Written by the director of Kanakuk. The first half of the book is instructional, with ideas for raising kids. The second half contains ideas for family devotions and activities.
Five Love Languages of Children or Five Love Languages of Teenagers by Gary Chapman – Application of the great love languages principles to parent/kid relationships. Well worth the effort!
Effective Parenting in a Defective World by Chip Ingram – The book that our current Genesis Institute class is based on.
Parenting Today’s Adolescents by Dennis Rainey – Book written specifically to help with the challenges parents of teenagers face as they seek to guide their kids through the cultural maze and mindfields of the teen years.