Camilleon

I would like to preface this by saying that I have no background in early childhood education, but I have always been passionate about these topics. I wish I could split myself into multiple lifetimes— in another, I would have been a preschool immersion Spanish teacher. As soon as I became a mom, my main focus while preparing for parenthood was understanding my child. These books have been truly helpful in guiding me as I parent my very strong-willed, almost three-year-old daughter.

These are five books I’ve been able to listen to for free via audiobook through the Libby app (except the first one, which I purchased on Kindle):

1. Baby Knows Best by Deborah Carlisle Solomon.
   • I picked up Baby Knows Best when my child was already a toddler, so I skimmed through the baby stage. Deborah Carlisle Solomon’s writing has been incredibly helpful in navigating toddlerhood, especially when it comes to managing tantrums and understanding what triggers them. One quote that really stood out to me was: “Lack of discipline is not kindness, it is neglect.” – Magda Gerber
2. No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame by Janet Lansbury.
   • My daughter has a very assertive personality. When she reached toddlerhood, I felt lost when it came to knowing how to discipline her. This book is very practical and short; it has a great audiobook version. I listened to it with my husband to ensure that we are both on the same page. I highly recommend listening to this one when your child is a toddler.
3. Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman
   • The opening of Bringing Up Bébé was completely un-relatable to me as a Honduran. The “neuroticism” around American parenting that Pamela Druckerman describes. The anxiety, over-planning, and obsessive research don’t reflect my cultural experience at all. Skip ahead to chapter 1 and 3, which introduces “the pause” a technique to help babies learn to self-soothe.
   • Chapter 6: French Food Rules was perhaps the most I took away from this book.
4. The Montessori Baby: A Parent’s Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding by Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike
   • I read The Montessori Baby while I was pregnant with Nina. I took away certain parts that resonated with me, but didn’t follow everything. For example, I loved the idea of the floor bed, but in areas with lots of bugs, it’s just not practical, where spiders can easily crawl in. I applied many of the toy suggestions, though I don’t have an aversion to color or plastic toys like the book seems to encourage. That part feels more tailored to parents in a higher tax bracket. Overall, it’s the kind of book where you take the general philosophy and apply what works; there’s no need to follow it to a “T.”
5. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Neighborly Words of Wisdom from Mister Rogers Fred Rogers
   • If you’re a parent or work closely with children, please read this gem of a book. There’s a chapter where Mister Rogers encourages us to include children in the realities of life and not to shield them entirely, but to let them in gently. He reminds us that children can sense when something is wrong, and that we can navigate pain with them.
   • One quote that stayed with me:
     • “People have said ‘Don’t cry’ to other people for years and years, and all it has ever meant is ‘I’m too uncomfortable when you show your feelings: don’t cry.’ I’d rather have them say, ‘Go ahead and cry. I’m here to be with you.’” — Fred Rogers

On my TBR:

• How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

• The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson

• The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids by Jessica Joelle Alexander and Iben Dissing Sandahl