by Christine LaRocque
I read. A lot. I’m willing to read just about anything, but have a particular love of dramatic fiction and memoir.
I also spend a lot of time reading parenting books. But, as I’ve become more and more comfortable as a mother, and found my personal groove, I’ve moved away from the traditional style of parenting books that I was drawn to in the beginning—the ones that write about what I should do as a parent and how to do it, that are very prescriptive and focused on the needs of my children as opposed to my needs as a mother. There is only so much of that you can take before you realize that parenting is usually about about doing what just feels right.
So now I look for a different kind of “parenting book.” I look for books that empower me, that recognize my struggles and offer honest and practical solutions and inspiration.
The following is a list of five parenting and non-parenting books that I think do this very well, and I think every mother should read them. Each offers an important and unique perspective on how to approach life, including parenting, but at the same time they really address the issue of motherhood and what it means to be deep in the trenches of life, and motherhood day in and day out.
Here are my top five best books every mom should read:
When I started Raising Happiness by Christine Carter early in 2010 I was ripe for a better understanding of the issues and pressures that face children today, and how to raise happy, well-adjusted kids. In this book, Carter offers helpful guidance on how to parent while at the same time offering opportunities to discover powerful self awareness.
The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming our Passion, Purpose and Sanity by Dr. Meg Meeker ispractical, helpful and meaningful. I especially appreciate how she illustrates each habit with specific examples, and the tips she offers to help make each habit stick. Not only is her advice helpful, but highly intuitive to the real stresses that mothers face today.
