Books that Make Me A Better Mom

I‘m a bit of a book lover. So it shouldn’t be a shock to hear that I turn to books for wisdom, help, inspiration, guidance…basically if I have a problem in life, I turn to books for solutions.

When I started this post, I thought I’d include a few books that have really impacted me as a mom. Then I started to go through my bookshelves and realized there are so many mom books that have been helpful. Like, shelves full of them.

I’m going to highlight the best of the best (otherwise this post could go on forever ;)), the mom books that I read over and over and highlight and dog-ear pages (eek!). At the end of the post I’ll link to others that are also amazing. Just in case you need a few more recommendations. 😉

Don’t Make Me Count To Three – Ginger Plowman

Ah, this book. Not going to lie: I was initially drawn to it because I WAS saying this (“Don’t make me count to three!”) to my kids all.the.time. And I was over it. So I bought a used copy of this book on Amazon. It’s SO GOOD. I’ve always heard and even read books that touted the whole “grace-based parenting” philosophy but never really explained what that looks like in parenting. This book does. The author gives a wonderful explanation of what it looks like to parent with grace and love and discipline, to love and raise our kids in a way that is effective and also pleasing to God.

Triggers – Wendy Speake and Amber Lia

As a young mom, I found myself entrenched in anger. I’d never be an angry person before, so I couldn’t figure out how to deal with this explosive temper that seemed to just erupt out of nowhere. I finally broke down and bought this book, and it’s been worth every penny. The best part is how relatable it is. The authors don’t make you feel like a bad mom for losing your temper…they’ve been there, done that and they tell you how to work through it. The authors have recently released a second book, “Parenting Scripts,” which is a follow-up to Triggers. It’s currently on my wish list – it sounds amazing. You can read more of my thoughts on this book here.

Operating Instructions – Anne Lamott

Disclaimer: I’m a huge Anne Lamott fan. HUGE. If left-wing tendencies and swear words bother you, you may want to avoid this one. But if you can get past those things, this book (all of her books, actually) will knock your socks off. I first read this when I was in college, before kids were even a thought in my mind, and thought, “Oh, what a nice little book.” Then I reread it after our first kid was born, and oh my goodness. Anne Lamott got me through the first year of my kid’s life without feeling like I was an insane crazy person. And for that, I am forever grateful.

Becoming Mom Strong – Heidi St. John

I wrote a whole post on this book by homeschooling mom Heidi St. John, but I’m still including it in this line up because it is AMAZING. This one absolutely gets me motivated to be a better advocate for my kids. If you want to get fired up to fight against what culture says motherhood should look like, if you want to raise Biblical world changers who think outside the box and go against status quo, read this.

Parenting – Paul David Tripp

Another book that I’ve already highlighted on the blog, but my word. I can’t even begin to describe the impact this book has had on my mothering. It’s helped me clarify what is really important in this parenting gig…to look at the big picture, to better disciple and mentor, and to keep going on the hard days. This one really stresses the importance of reaching our kids’ hearts and not just creating rules to keep them in line. I underlined so many passages that I wore out a highlighter while reading it.

Seasons of A Mother’s Heart – Sally Clarkson

I bought this book at a Sally Clarkson conference last year and I’m so glad I did. This one focuses more on the heart of a mom, rather than giving advice on how to parent. Sally is a master encourager for moms, and this book will uplift your spirit and free you from the mom guilt so many of us struggle with. This book is crammed with wisdom and reassurances and LOVE.

Simplicity Parenting – Kim John Payne

I just started to read this one for the third time and it’s blowing my mind. The first two times I read it, I needed help in dealing with how to simplify our lives from physical clutter. THIS TIME I’m reading it for wisdom on dealing with some emotional issues one of our kids is struggling with, which I suspect are being brought on by busyness and overwhelm, and it is EXACTLY spot on what I need to hear right now. So if you want to address how to simplify your life both physically and emotionally, READ THIS BOOK. It’s a must read if you’re feeling stressed out and overwhelmed with doing all the things.