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in Blog on June 8, 2018 by Sarah Powers

Go-To Resources For Parenting Toddlers

TODDLERS, man. Right? We get lots of listener emails asking us to tackle this topic on the podcast. While we have discussed discipline and toddlers before (see list of podcast episodes at the end of this post), I wanted to round up some of my favorite books and online resources from parenting writers I’ve been reading for years.

Books About Toddler Discipline & Behavior

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Positive Discipline: The Classic Guide to Helping Children Develop Self-Discipline, Responsibility, Cooperation, and Problem-Solving Skills
This book is 30 years old and the gold standard for the parenting and discipline style that works for me. Other writers I’ll mention in this post all have been schooled in this philosophy. There are spinoff books like Positive Discipline for Preschoolers, etc., but I think reading the original is best. This is the book for starting to explore if this basic foundational philosophy is right for you.

The Importance of Being Little: What Young Children Really Need from Grownups


This book has a lot about early childhood education (preschools), but I found it so transformative that I wish I’d read it when my kids were toddlers. Maybe not so much about day to day behavior stuff with your toddler now, but I know that many of you you like to think ahead.

The Case For Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World

I read this book when my oldest was a baby and it really influenced how I think about kids and media. It might read a little dated now, but it’s a quick read, and the material about the commercialization of kids’ play is as important as ever (the media and tech itself has changed so much in the last 10 years, but the concepts hold up). Highly, highly recommend this book.

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting (The Peaceful Parent Series)
This book is by my hands-down favorite online writer, Dr. Laura Markham. I’ll link to a bunch of her website articles in the next section, but this is the paper book version. I’d put it 4th after the books above, because I think you can get a lot of the same ideas from the articles on her site. If you ever want someone else to understand this type of parenting (husband, caregivers), this would be a great book to read.

Online Resources About Toddlers

Aha! Parenting / Dr. Laura Markham

This website is a one-stop-shop. Dr. Laura Markham (who is the author of that last book mentioned) is just SO DANG GOOD at explaining the difference between punishment/consequences and setting limits. She also always includes actually ideas for what to SAY to your kids, which is so helpful. I will link to a few places to start:

  • This page has a bunch of articles for foundational learning (I would start here)
  • This page rounds up a bunch of toddler articles
  • Specific questions about toddlers
  • The difference between limits and consequences
  • How to motivate kids without consequences

Meghan Leahy

Meghan Leahy writes a parenting advice column for The Washington Post and I love her thoughtful responses to common parenting questions. I personally really enjoy following her on Facebook, but fair warning: she’s outspoken, political, and swears on her page there. She’s also, in my opinion, very funny as well as smart when it comes to parenting. A few great examples of her column:
  • Why is my 3-year-old suddenly so disagreeable?
  • Is it time for my 2-year-old to stop using a pacifier, crib and diapers?
  • How to help a toddler cope with Mom’s return to work

Amy McCready / Positive Parenting Solutions

I have not spent as much time reading Amy McCready’s work, but I know it to be right in line with others mentioned here, and she has a lot of classes and resources for parents who want to learn about positive parenting.

Funny Stuff

Honestly? I got through the baby and toddler years in part because they’re so hilarious. I love reading parenting humor writers, and there are some gems out there when it comes to toddlers:

  • Toddler Feelings Helpline (Sara Given, McSweeney’s)
  • The Honest Toddler (Bunmi Laditan)
  • Reasons My Kid Is Crying
  • The HuffPo Best Parenting Tweets make me giggle each week

The Mom Hour Episodes

Here are the episodes we’ve done that deal with toddlers:

  • Things We Shouldn’t Have Freaked Out About (Toddler Years): The Mom Hour, Episode 24
  • Potty Training & Other Bathroom Matters: The Mom Hour, Episode 156
  • Ignore Bad Behavior & Enjoy Parenting More with Catherine Pearlman: The Mom Hour Voices, Episode 16
  • Kids in the Kitchen: The Mom Hour, Episode 70
  • Things We Shouldn’t Have Freaked Out About (Starting School Edition): The Mom Hour, Episode 62
  • 8 Milestones & When Our Kids Met Them: The Mom Hour, Episode 34
  • Discipline At Every Age: The Home Hour Episode 40 (a really old episode of The Home Hour when I joined Meagan as a guest)
  • Gift Ideas For Babies, Toddlers & Little Kids

I think if I have one thing to encourage you to remember, it’s that “positive” parenting is not the same as “permissive” parenting. It doesn’t mean letting your kids get away with stuff or telling them all the time that they’re amazing. It’s actually really structured and emphasizes setting limits, but there’s a misconception out there when you say things like “we don’t do time outs” that it’s all permissive all the time. Not true.

As we always say on the podcast, there is no one right way to do any of this. My recommendations here are simply the ones that have worked for me. You do you!

Related

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: books, toddlers

About Sarah Powers

Sarah Powers is co-host and Executive Producer of The Mom Hour podcast. She lives in Santa Barbara, CA with her husband and three kids, ages 9, 11, and 13.

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Comments

  1. Karen says

    June 12, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    Thank you so much for providing this list of resources! I’m loving listening to the Mom Hour episodes specifically on toddlers and have totally delved into Aha! Parenting.

    Reply
    • Sarah Powers says

      June 30, 2018 at 2:02 pm

      Yay, thanks Karen! Aha! Parenting is the BEST.

      Reply
      • Chau says

        May 18, 2019 at 6:04 pm

        Thanks 😉

        Reply

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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

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"Like many families, mine is still figuring out how to teach our children about Juneteenth, as learning the history wasn't part of my education or my husband's when we were kids. The good news is, books written for children and families are a great way for the whole family to learn (and there are a lot of them!)."

Click this image at the link in our bio to read Kia’s book recommendations and more ways to start the conversation at home with your family.

#juneteenth #history #blackhistory #parenting #juneteenthbooksforkids #summerreading
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As moms, we can be hard on ourselves…and sometimes we just need to hear the simplest, oft-repeated pieces of advice and encouragement to remind us that it is all going to be OK. Join Meagan and Sarah for a reflection on eight pieces of wisdom that have carried us through motherhood struggles at every age and stage. We are offering them to you, to ourselves, and to all of our future selves in Episode 369.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

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Just a “hello” from last-week-me, who spent 30 Just a “hello” from last-week-me, who spent 30 minutes moving 25 chickens by hand from their home to the new chicken yard, because they refused to go on their own. And then an hour moving them back, because same.

It reminded me a lot of mothering a toddler, and got me wondering: what’s the most ridiculous thing mom life has brought you in the past week? -M
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Have you ever fantasized about attending a camp-like environment for grown-ups? Much about the classic summer camp experience is appealing to us (though not EVERYTHING--we could certainly do without the bugs), and the idea of simply showing up for a perfectly curated experience without any responsibility, or planning, sounds AMAZING. Listen to this fun More Than Mom to hear all of our must-have activities (like food and wine tastings, yoga, personal style consults and more!), things that would be a hard no (like swimming in the gross, murky lake or participating in corny, guided crafts) and our daydreams about creating a Mom Hour Retreat (maybe someday?)!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

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Click this image at the link in our bio to access Jayme's roundup of resources.
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One of our most popular blog posts EVER is refresh One of our most popular blog posts EVER is refreshed for 2022! Click this image at the link in our bio to read the just-structured-enough approach Sarah took during those long AZ summers at home when her kids were 6, 4, and 1.5. 😎 

#stayathomemom #preschoolers #summermomlife #arizonasummer #summerschedulefortoddlers #summerscheduledforpreschoolers #samplesummerschedule #summerdaysathom
New episode! Most of us enjoy having a clean and New episode!

Most of us enjoy having a clean and tidy home, but have you ever kept track of how much you do throughout the week to keep it that way? In today’s episode, Meagan and Sarah share what seven days of real-life housework looks like in our homes. We reflect on the tasks we knew went into running a home, and some surprising ones we never thought of as housework before (like picking plums and chasing chickens!). Whether you prioritize deep-cleaning on a regular schedule or tend to tidy as you go and hope for the best, it’s eye-opening and gratifying to acknowledge the work that goes into managing a home full of kids.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #endlesscleaning #housework #cleaning #tidyingup #
Math Quiz: If 3 kids dirty an average of 15 dishes Math Quiz: If 3 kids dirty an average of 15 dishes per day while away at school 7 hours per day, how many additional dishes will they dirty while home all day for summer break?

67. The answer is 67. Yes, I’ve checked my work! Maybe someone who passed calculus can explain? 🤪 -M

#mommath #drowningindishes #summerbreakisnotreallyabreak
Happy weekend - and a big thanks to our June spons Happy weekend - and a big thanks to our June sponsors! Every month, we like to take a little time to shoutout our partners who help support the show + remind our listeners of some of the great deals our sponsors are offering. For more info, specific promo codes, and links, just search the brand name on our website, and they'll pop up in our episode show notes. We also collect ALL our active promo codes (even the old ones that are still working!) in our email newsletter - which is full of other great things we want to share with you, too. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today. 

Meet our NEW partners this month . . .
🗣️ @connectspeech (early language support!)
💙 @appahealth (1st month of mentorship free!)
💄 @thrivecausemetics (15% off your 1st order)

And welcome back to . . .
⭐️ @paireyewear (15% off your 1st purchase!)
⭐️ @autoapprove ($100 when you refinance!)
⭐️ @outschool ($15 off your child's 1st class!)
⭐️ @mindandchild ($20 off Parenting 101 course!)
⭐️ @flowkey_com (20% off subscription piano app!)
⭐️ @stitchfix ($20 off your 1st purchase!)
⭐️ @publicgoods ($15 off, no minimum!)
⭐️ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (30% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @ritual (10% off 1st 3 mo!)
⭐️ @athleticgreens (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on cute shoes!)
⭐️ @project_wren (10 trees planted when you sign up!)
New episode! If you travel with kids, it’s just New episode!

If you travel with kids, it’s just a matter of time before a trip goes off the rails in spectacular fashion. Maybe it’s a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, or an expensive vacation spent sick in a pricey hotel room. Today Sarah is joined by @catieparrish @stacybronec @emilyeroark and @lisaapayne4 – regular contributors to the show and seasoned travelers with a combined 13 kids – who share their most memorable travel mishap stories. (Full disclaimer: there will be puke-talk.) In sharing these stories, we hope to normalize that travel with kids doesn’t have to go perfectly to be “worth it” and remind you that you’re not alone if this summer’s adventures go awry. Plus, one of the only perks to surviving stories like these is that we get to laugh about them later.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #travelingwoes #travelingwithkids #familytravelmishaps
New on the blog this week from @kiamhammond: Learn New on the blog this week from @kiamhammond: Learning About Juneteenth, As A Family.

"Like many families, mine is still figuring out how to teach our children about Juneteenth, as learning the history wasn't part of my education or my husband's when we were kids. The good news is, books written for children and families are a great way for the whole family to learn (and there are a lot of them!)."

Click this image at the link in our bio to read Kia’s book recommendations and more ways to start the conversation at home with your family.

#juneteenth #history #blackhistory #parenting #juneteenthbooksforkids #summerreading
New episode! As moms, we can be hard on ourselves New episode!

As moms, we can be hard on ourselves…and sometimes we just need to hear the simplest, oft-repeated pieces of advice and encouragement to remind us that it is all going to be OK. Join Meagan and Sarah for a reflection on eight pieces of wisdom that have carried us through motherhood struggles at every age and stage. We are offering them to you, to ourselves, and to all of our future selves in Episode 369.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #momtruisms #momtruths #parentingadvice #motherhoodstruggles
Just a “hello” from last-week-me, who spent 30 Just a “hello” from last-week-me, who spent 30 minutes moving 25 chickens by hand from their home to the new chicken yard, because they refused to go on their own. And then an hour moving them back, because same.

It reminded me a lot of mothering a toddler, and got me wondering: what’s the most ridiculous thing mom life has brought you in the past week? -M
New episode! Have you ever fantasized about atten New episode!

Have you ever fantasized about attending a camp-like environment for grown-ups? Much about the classic summer camp experience is appealing to us (though not EVERYTHING--we could certainly do without the bugs), and the idea of simply showing up for a perfectly curated experience without any responsibility, or planning, sounds AMAZING. Listen to this fun More Than Mom to hear all of our must-have activities (like food and wine tastings, yoga, personal style consults and more!), things that would be a hard no (like swimming in the gross, murky lake or participating in corny, guided crafts) and our daydreams about creating a Mom Hour Retreat (maybe someday?)!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #summercamps #womenretreats #momretreat
New on the blog this week from @jaymesherrod: LGBT New on the blog this week from @jaymesherrod: LGBTQ+ Resources For Parents (And Anyone Who Wants To Learn!). 

"The fact is, none of us will get it right every time. Not with each other, and certainly not with our kids. But it’s important that we keep showing up and having the conversations anyway."

Click this image at the link in our bio to access Jayme's roundup of resources.

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