The many styles of parenting

Parenting is a universal topic that always yields thousands of different opinions. Put twenty-five parents in a room together, bring up one solitary topic, and you’ll get a different response from almost every individual. Do you ever wonder how each parent goes about obtaining the information and knowledge needed to raise their children? Or perhaps what background they shape their opinions on?

Look at all the drama in the media right now over the seven-year-old girls “Single Ladies” video. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s in your best interest to look it up right after you finish reading this blog. You only have to watch the video for five seconds to determine how you feel about the performance. And whether you despise or think it’s great, there is someone out there watching with a totally different perspective.

According to Amazon.com, there were over 130 books published in the last 90 days that focus on parenting. The total search of family and parenting books in their database yielded over 44,000 results. So where does a researching parent begin? Try taking a look at a few of the newer books out on the selves and make sure you read up on the focus points in at least four of them. If you’re not thrilled with looking through a list of 130 new releases, here are four options with great review ratings, all available on Amazon.

• You’re Not the Boss of Me: Brat-proofing Your Four- to Twelve-Year-Old Child by Betsy Brown Braun
• Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs by Ellen Galinsky
• Intuitive Parenting: Listening to the Wisdom of Your Heart by Debra Snyder
• Parenting with Reason: Evidence-Based Approaches to Parenting Dilemmas by Esther Yoder Strahan, Jr. Wallace E.Dixon, and J. Burtn Banks

As you research the complicated but wonderful world of parenting, keep an open mind. Our differences are what make us unique. And that doesn’t mean they aren’t frustrating!