Book Recommendation: "ScreamFree Parenting"

I've read a fair number of parenting books. Sometimes, it was to prepare for a certain "issue." I read about 6 or 8 books just on potty-training, something that terrified me. Of course then my children (the two that are potty-trained) surprised me by making it way easier on me than I could have hoped for, both training at 27 months old with little issue.

Sometimes I read parenting books looking for a miracle cure. I read every single book I could find on infant (and later, toddler) sleep. And trust me, it's really not something a sleep-deprived mom should waste her time on. I probably read 8 to 10 books on the subject. No, I am not kidding. I am that dumb.

I've also picked up books because they were recommended to me, including "1-2-3 Magic," "Raising Your Spirited Child," and "Free Range Kids."

To be honest, I've yet to be really impressed. Don't get me wrong. I think that I took a lot from each book that I read. I do in fact use some of the techniques that I came across. I was comforted when I found books that finally validated for me that the co-sleeping my son had forced upon me was actually okay and even beneficial, at least according to some. I knew, before going to the ER, that I had a blood clot in my lung, because my symptoms so closely matched those described in one of my "What to Expect" books. I knew what to do about a clogged milk duct because I'd read at least 3 books on breastfeeding even though things were going well. I am glad that I've read all these books.

Even in the books that I disagreed with the most, there were usually a few things that I could get on board with. If nothing else, they helped me define who I am as a parent by exposing me to techniques or philosophies that I am not comfortable with.

But I still can't say that there has been a book that has really spoken to me yet, told me the things that I needed to hear.

All this is really just to say that I've finally found a parenting book that I'm excited enough about that I want to share my "find." It's not perfect and I don't agree with every single sentence. But it helped me. It was a random pick. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but was browsing the parenting section in the library. I like to do this occasionally just to keep on top of my game and see if I might find a gem. I had picked up a book on sibling bickering (which I haven't gotten to yet) and was about to move to another section when I saw "ScreamFree Parenting." Yeah, I thought, I've been yelling too much lately.

And I read it. And it spoke to me. And if you're a frustrated parent, even one that doesn't scream (it's NOT all about lowering your voice. Far from it), I think maybe you should read it, too. Maybe it won't click for you, but maybe it will. Like I said, I've read several books that were the "it" book for someone else but didn't do much for me. It's all about finding that match.

I feel energized, empowered, calmed, freed, and ready to rock my job as mom. It's not technique-based, so if you're looking for some sort of formula that you can follow to get your kids in line, this isn't for you. It's more philosophy-based, and focuses on changing our own behaviors in order to foster better relationships with our children. If you're interested, and really want me to provide a full review or synopsis, contact me and I will. Otherwise, if it sounds like something you might be into, just read it. It certainly can't hurt!