Top 3

[Collin'sMama]

What are your top 3 parenting books??

[Moochie Mamma]

I'm looking forward to seeing the other answers- here's mine:

Kids Are Worth It- don't remember the author's name

Unconditional Parenting (actually I haven't read it but watched the DVD) by Alfie Kohn

Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali

Edited to add: I have to add a 4th: Playful Parenting

[DevaMajka]

Definitely

The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff

Becoming The Parent You Want to Be Laura Davis & Janis Keyser (for kids 5 and under)

Loving Your Child Is Not Enough by Nancy Samalin (most useful for over 5 or so) Quite similar to How to Talk and P.E.T.

The first 2 are the ones I'd consider getting parents with new babies. The 3rd I recommend to friends who want to deal better with their older kids.

And Unconditional Parenting. I loved it. Probably not for people who aren't already interested in gd.

(sorry- that's 4. But the first 3 are my faves)

[aira]

Unconditional Parenting - Alfie Kohn

The Continuum Concept - Jean Liedloff - though strictly speaking, is not a parenting book

Drama of the Gifted Child - Alice Miller

Acutally, anything by Alice Miller, that's just her most famous work. It's also strictly speaking not a parenting advice book, but has had more impact on my parenting ideals than most. She is very good to help us in healing our own hurts to prevent them making their way into our treatment of the little ones.

[aira]

Oooo! Can I add a 4th?!

The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran

Table of contents:
http://www.columbia.edu/~gm84/gibtable.html

Chapter 4 is about parenting:

On Children

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."
And he said:

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

[Laurel]

1. Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline, by Becky Bailey

2. Playful Parenting

3. There are several I could put in this spot: Kids are Worth It by Barbara Coloroso, The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Jon and Myla Kabat-Zinn, plus lots of others that I've gleaned things from.

[Kirsten]

Originally Posted by Laurel

Kids are Worth It by Barbara Coloroso

Must third this suggestion! GREAT book. I think one or two of the o's in her last name is an a though - maybe Colorosa?

[irinam]

On Children

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."
And he said:

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Aira, I loved this quote. Gave me goosebumps

[aira]

It always does me too!