Parenting Together/Parenting Through Divorce

Most marriages suffer a drop in quality after the new baby's arrival. What is it that couples who do not experience this drop are doing? What are the secrets of the "masters of marriage" and the "disasters of marriage?" Gottman reveals these behaviors, practices and stances to us, backed as always by research findings.

This book has long been the standard for couples who want to insure they are doing all they can to buffer their children from the negative impact of divorce. The book contains checklists, self tests, and important tools you'll need to navigate the situation of divorce skillfully.

(for information about Dr. John Gottman, please click here) This book is for parents who want to learn how to help their children with emotional literacy.  Gottman includes a five step process beginning with empathy and culminating in setting limits and helping the child to problem-solve.  Helping children with hard-to-manage affect is by far one of the most important aspects of parenting. This is because children who can easily name and work through their feelings can easily calm themselves, have stronger social bonds, do better in school, and are sick less often.

I like to recommend this books for parents who need a strategy when overwhelmed with parenting, or for couples who cannot get onto the same page when it comes to providing consequences for their children’s behavior. Practical, effective tips for managing behavior (your child's and you own!). Best when combined with other more emotionally focused authors' ideas, like Gottman and Tsabery, in my opinion.

Dr. Shefali Tsabary asks parents to be brave enough to trust in the goodness of their children, and to empathize and be present with them rather than discipline them. Her ideas are brave and radical and striking, and if you have intuitively longed to parent this way, her book will give you the emotional fortitude to continue on. Be sure to watch her YouTube video to experience her amazing approach directly.

In this book, Dr. John Gottman teaches parents to embrace the paradigm of emotion-coaching and to leave behind the worn out patterns of parenting through authority and control. This five step process for parents creates higher levels of emotional literacy in their children and increased well-being in the parents.

This book is a teen-read, but for everyone. Lesbian, Bisexual, Queer, Transgender, Straight or Curious. With an upbeat tone, the author covers the LGBTQ side of sex education using cartoon drawings and snarky comments that many young readers will find engaging.

For some parents, talking about sex is extremely awkward. But your children need your help. A good overview of sexual development--what to expect and when. These experts give suggestions of how much to share and at what age. Reactivity to children’s sexual behaviors can cause unnecessary conflict or shame; learn how to respond in ways that are supportive and educational instead.