By: Rachel Crickmar
Helpful Books & Articles for Every Stage of Parenting
From toddler tantrums to teenage independence and beyond, each stage of your child’s development brings new challenges and opportunities. Below are trusted, parent-friendly books and articles designed to offer guidance, insight, and encouragement—wherever you are in your parenting journey.
📚 Recommended Books
🎯 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2–12
By Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D.
A timeless yet simple, effective approach to discipline that helps parents manage behavior without yelling or nagging. This guide is also meant to help prevent the development of conduct disorders.
🎯 Over-Indulged Children: A Parent’s Guide to Mentoring and Empowering Children to Thrive
By James Fogarty
Learn how too much freedom, attention, or material things can affect your child’s development—and how to create healthy boundaries.
🎯 The Power of Validation
By Karyn D. Hall, Ph.D. & Melissa H. Cook, LPC
Discover how validating your child’s feelings can strengthen emotional health and reduce conflict, especially during tough times.
🎯 Raising Confident Boys: 100 Tips for Parents and Teachers
By Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer
Easy-to-follow tips that support boys’ self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and healthy independence.
🎯 Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood
By Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
A compassionate guide to understanding and supporting your teenage daughter’s emotional and developmental transitions.
🎯 Surviving Your Adolescents
By Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D.
By the same author of 1-2-3 Magic, this book proposes helpful strategies for managing the ups and downs of adolescence while fostering independence and responsibility.
🎯 Emptying the Nest: Launching Your Young Adult Toward Success and Self-Reliance
By Brad E. Sachs, Ph.D.
A thoughtful resource for navigating the “empty nest” phase with grace, balance, and continued connection.
🌐 Easy-to-Read Articles
- ✅ Parenting Tips by Age — American Academy of Pediatrics
- ✅ How to Talk So Kids Will Listen — Child Mind Institute
- ✅ Parenting Adolescents Blog Series — Psychology Today
- ✅ Empty Nest Syndrome: How to Cope — Mayo Clinic
Parenting doesn’t come with a manual, but these resources can serve as a roadmap to help you navigate each season with intention, flexibility, and heart.
