My Favorite Parenting and Motherhood Books
While the Bible will always be the most important and relevant parenting book there is, all of these books have impacted my motherhood and parenting in huge ways. I’ve included the ones I think have been the most influential and the one’s I go back to again and again, but I’m always adding new book recommendations here as well.
Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp: Paul Tripp presents a big-picture view of God’s plan for us as parents. Outlining fourteen foundational principles centered on the gospel, he shows that we need more than the latest parenting strategy or list of techniques. Rather, we need the rescuing grace of God―grace that has the power to shape how we view everything we do as parents.
Triggers: Exchanging Parents' Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses by
Amber Lia and Wendy Speake: Triggers examines common parenting issues that cause us to explode inappropriately at our children. Moving beyond simple parenting tips on how to change your child’s behavior, authors Amber Lia and Wendy Speake offer biblical insight and practical tools to equip and encourage you on the journey away from anger-filled reactions toward gentle, biblical responses.
Parenting Scripts: When What You're Saying Isn't Working, Say Something New by Amber Lia and Wendy Speake: This book is SO practical and applicable and it’s one I return to often. It focuses on the most ordinary and yet troublesome areas in our daily routines and helps parents craft intentional and well thought out and prayed over words when our children do wrong.
Don’t Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Hubbard: Through personal experience and the practical application of Scripture, Ginger Hubbard encourages and equips moms to reach past the outward behavior of their children and dive deeply into the issues of the heart. This book discusses Biblical discipline and I love the practical examples she gives.
With All Joy by by Meg Marie Wallace (Digital Ebook): Meg is a mom of seven and reading this book reminded me of talking with my own mother in law and asking her about raising her seven boys - the book is conversational and so easy + quick to read. Meg teaches the practical skills to be proactive, rather than reactive, within the role of motherhood. Instead of waiting for a child to make a poor decision, she shares how to identify, anticipate, prepare and intentionally teach in advance for what problems will arise.
Baby Sleep Resources: The Online Newborn Sleep Class + the 3-4 Month Sleep Guide. Sleep is one of the first parenting things we encounter when it comes to our kids and it can really set the stage for the future and how we approach parenting in general. Being well-rested has been foundational during our kids’ little years. Because my husband and I are well rested, we’re able to wake up FOR our kids, not just TO our kids. Because our kids get the sleep they need, they wake up happy and ready for the day. Laying a foundation for healthy sleep has impacted our family more than I can ever say and I would not be the same mom had it not been for baby sleep resources. I’ve taken my experience as a pediatric nurse, my personal experience with my own four babies, my two sleep certifications, and the last few years of working one on one with families as a pediatric sleep consultant to create holistic + grace-filled online sleep resources for parents.
Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler: Emily and Laura do an amazing job at showing how the gospel applies to every day motherhood. The chapters cover really practical and down to earth topics like our time spent at home, school-choice, self-care, body image, the little years etc. I also love their podcast!
Mama Bear Apologetics™: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies by Hillary Morgan Ferrer: I LOVED this book. I listened to the audio but plan to get a hard copy and literally study it and take notes and highlight sections. This mom-to-mom guide will equip you to teach your kids how to form their own biblical beliefs about what is true and what is false. Through transparent life stories and clear, practical applications—including prayer strategies—this book offers you tools to train yourself, so you can turn around and train your kids.
Social Sanity in an Insta World by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra: This is a great book for any mom who engages in social media. I love that it doesn’t try to talk you into staying or leaving, but rather gives Biblical principles to keep in mind when you approach social media. I love the practical application and tips each contributor gives. This isn’t really a parenting book, but I think the way we use social media and the influence our social media usage will have on our kids is so important that I included it on the list.
The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie: this book influenced and encouraged me about how good reading out loud is for learning and how reading together can encourage relationships with my kids. I was pleasantly surprised at what an easy read it was and how much I got out of it.
Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled, Life-Giving Morning Routine by Kat Lee: This is such a grace-filled approach to mornings and has encouraged me so much, regardless of what season I’m in and how early I can start my mornings. Hello Mornings helps readers renovate their mornings to establish and grow a powerful daily routine—a long-term, Jesus-centered habit to anchor them in every season.
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