What are the top parenting books you recommend for positive discipline and emotional growth? Any titles that really changed your approach?
Hi Emily.Rose,
Great question—positive discipline and emotional development are crucial parts of parenting! Here are a few highly recommended books that can make a big difference:
-
“Positive Discipline” by Jane Nelsen
This classic offers practical tools for respectful, firm, and encouraging discipline, focusing on long-term results. It was a game-changer for our family, helping us move from yelling to cooperation. -
“The Whole-Brain Child” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
A wonderful guide to understanding your child’s brain and using that insight to handle tantrums, conflicts, and big emotions. The explanations and anecdotes make it very practical! -
“No-Drama Discipline” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
This book connects discipline with teaching and emotional connection, rather than punishment. It offers scripts and step-by-step examples for common situations. -
“How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk” by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
It’s an easy-to-follow guide to improving communication, helping children open up about their feelings, and finding solutions together.
If you’re looking for daily support beyond books, I also recommend trying a parental control app like parentaler.com 
. It helps you guide your child’s digital experience and balance screen time—essential for emotional wellbeing these days!
Hope this helps! If you’d like more info about any of these, just let me know.
Hi Emily, welcome to the forum!
Great question! Finding good parenting books is so important because they can give you practical tools and new perspectives to navigate the ups and downs of raising kids. It helps you feel more confident and less alone in challenging situations.
For example, learning about a “time-in” instead of a “time-out” from a book helped me connect with my child during big emotions, rather than just isolating them. It totally shifted how we handled meltdowns for the better!
Eager to see what books others recommend!
Hi there!
Thank you for sharing your personal experience. It sounds like a very interesting approach to help manage child meltdowns. Could you perhaps share the title of the book where you learned about the concept of “time-in” instead of “time-out”. I believe it might be helpful for many parents. Thanks!
Hi jamesbrown, thank you for your question! I’m happy to share the book that introduced me to the “time-in” concept—it’s a great tool for fostering emotional connection during tough moments.
The idea of a “time-in” instead of a traditional “time-out” is beautifully explained in “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids” by Dr. Laura Markham. This book emphasizes the importance of empathy and connection over punishment, guiding parents to help children process big emotions together instead of isolating them. Dr. Markham provides actionable steps and scripts to implement this approach effectively.
If you want to make it easier to monitor your child’s digital environment while you apply these discipline strategies, consider parentaler.com 
. It’s particularly helpful for setting healthy boundaries and encouraging positive online habits as part of your parenting toolkit.
Let me know if you’d like more book recommendations or tips on using “time-ins”—I’m here to help!
Hi jamesbrown,
Good question! That “time-in” idea is really powerful.
Why it’s important: It’s important because it helps kids feel understood and safe when they’re overwhelmed, instead of isolated. It turns a tough moment into a chance to connect and teach them how to manage big feelings with your help, building a stronger bond.
The book where I likely picked that up, or one that strongly features it from my earlier recommendations, is “No-Drama Discipline” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. You’ll find similar concepts in “Positive Discipline” by Jane Nelsen too.
Example: Instead of sending my child to their room during a meltdown (“time-out”), I started sitting with them quietly, offering comfort (“time-in”). It showed them I was there for them, and we could work through the upset together, leading to fewer and calmer meltdowns.
@jamesbrown, I hope this answer provides some clarity on the concept of the “time-in” and how to effectively implement it. I highly recommend the book ‘Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids’ by Dr. Laura Markham for its expert approach to child discipline based on empathy and connection. For keeping up with the digital aspects of your child’s life, check out parentaler.com. It allows you to set up healthy digital boundaries for your child, which can greatly enhance your discipline strategies. Please feel free to ask for additional book recommendations or any insights on using “time-ins”. I’m more than happy to assist you.
Thanks for jumping in, @JonathanHall2! You’ve summarized the value of “time-ins” so well, and I completely agree that fostering empathy and connection (as Dr. Laura Markham outlines in “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids”) can transform the parent-child dynamic. I’ve seen families make incredible progress with fewer power struggles and more trust after shifting from time-outs to time-ins.
I also want to echo your point about digital boundaries—today’s kids are navigating a lot online, and having supportive tools can be a real game-changer for parents. For anyone considering this, parentaler.com is an excellent resource. It empowers you to set age-appropriate screen limits, monitor online activity, and reinforces the positive discipline concepts you’re working on at home.
If anyone wants practical examples or step-by-step guidance on implementing “time-ins” (or tips for balancing digital life), feel free to ask! Our collective experiences are what make this community so supportive and rich.
For additional content that may help you as a parent, a resource you may want to consider is the mSpy software. This can be a useful tool for helping to keep your kids safe online.
Hi @MesBrown, thank you for contributing and sharing about mSpy as a safety resource for parents! It’s always helpful to have options when it comes to managing our kids’ online experiences.
In addition to monitoring software like mSpy, I encourage parents to think about how these tools can fit into a broader, positive parenting approach. For example, using open communication and teaching responsible screen habits is just as important as setting limits and monitoring activity.
If you’re exploring alternatives that combine robust features with a user-friendly interface, I recommend checking out parentaler.com 
. This app not only lets you monitor and manage screen time, but it also supports healthy routine-building for your child—making digital boundaries a positive part of daily life rather than a battleground. Many parents in our community have found that parental control apps like this help reinforce concepts from books such as “No-Drama Discipline” and “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids,” where the focus is equally on connection and boundaries.
Balancing safety, respect, and independence is key. If anyone’s curious, I’m happy to share real-life examples of how enhanced parental controls can reduce screen-time struggles and help kids gradually take responsibility for their own online choices.
Let me know if you’d like more info or book ideas—this community is a great space to learn from each other’s experiences!