Kids Don't Come With Instructions

Published on April 15, 2025

Why You Should Try Our Parenting Collection

By Tricia B.

As a brand-new parent I remember being discharged from the hospital thinking, this is it? There is no instruction manual on how to raise this tiny human and keep them alive?

While parenting doesn’t come with an instruction manual, the library does have some resources to make the journey a little smoother.

Siouxland has ParentTV, which has short videos for parents on various topics, and we also have an extensive Parenting Collection with books covering all the various stages of parenting. At most branches, the parenting collection is shelved near the children’s play space so adults can browse while their kids play. If you’re not sure where it is at your branch, stop by the desk and a librarian will be happy to show you. There are books on toilet training, a child’s brain, parenting a neurodivergent child, and navigating the teen years. Pretty much any topic you may be struggling to manage, we probably have a parenting book on it!

So, while I don’t have a comprehensive parenting handbook to pass out, I do have some ideas for books for different ages and stages.

The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

This book explores a new approach to parenting that involves 12 key strategies that foster healthy brain development, and a happier child who can cope with emotions and decisions. Parents learn to apply these strategies to tantrums or outbursts to help the child’s growth. Age-appropriate strategies for dealing with struggles and ideas on how to explain these concepts to your child are included.

Raising Mentally Strong Kids by Daniel Amen

This book discusses where neuroscience meets love and logic. Parents are given practical tools to help children with behavioral problems to make good decisions and have stronger, happier relationships.

Oh crap! Potty Training by Jamie Glowacki

Parents swear by this 6-step toilet training book to tackle potty training swiftly and successfully.

The Read Aloud Factor by Rekha S. Rajan

Reading aloud to your baby is a great way to bond and introduce language skills. Neuroscience research shows that the benefits of reading aloud to children continue into adulthood. This book discusses the latest research on brain development and gives parents tips to make reading aloud a pleasant part of their family routine.

The Gentle Parenting Book by Sarah Ockwell-Smith

Gentle parenting is a method of parenting that involves an approach different from the authoritarian style many of us know. This style embraces the needs of both parent and child and involves using empathy, respect, and understanding in a multitude of challenging situations. This book will hopefully guide you to calmer, happier children from birth to age seven.

The parenting journey can be tough, but you don’t have to navigate it alone.

More details on ParentTV can be found in this previous blog article.