Looking for parenting information? You’ve come to the right place!
We’ve compiled a detailed list of parenting websites, books and other resources, organized by topic and recommended by Holt’s interdisciplinary team of health, nutrition and parenting experts. If you’re an adoptive parent and you need more personalized support, Holt also offers a Post Adoption Coaching & Education (PACE) program to help parents address challenges they encounter as their children grow up.
Positive Parenting
<strong>ACEs and Trauma</strong>
Books
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Bessel van der Kolk, MD
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing
Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD, Oprah Winfrey
Video
CDC’s Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Webpages/Websites
How to Cope With Traumatic Stress
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
CDC’s Adverse Childhood Experience Resources
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: About Child Trauma
<strong>Child Identity</strong>
Books
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Angela Duckworth
The Leader in Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child At a Time
Stephen R. Covey
PDFs
<strong>Developing Boundaries </strong>
Blog Post
Our Family Wizard: Teaching Kids About Healthy Boundaries
Books
Boundaries with Kids: How Healthy Choices Grow Healthy Children
Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
How to Make & Keep Friends: Tips for Kids to Overcome 50 Common Social Challenges
Nadine Briggs and Donna Shea
<strong>Empowering Your Child </strong>
Blog Posts
How to Empower Children When They Struggle
Ashley Cullins
10 Ways to Empower Children
Stacey Kelly
Webpages / Websites
Helping Your Child Feel Secure
Blog Post
Helping Children Feel Safe
Carol Castanon
Video
Webpage/Podcast
Helping Children Feel Safe in Stressful Times
No Behavior Is Maladaptive
Robyn Gobbel
Positive Parenting Techniques
Books
Attaching Through Love, Hugs and Play: Simple Strategies to Help Build Connections With Your Child
Deborah D. Gray
The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind
Daniel J. Siegel, MD, and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD
Parenting From the Inside Out
Daniel J. Siegel, MD, and Mary Hartzell, MEd
Blog Post
9 Best Science-Based Parenting Books – Top Picks 2022
Pamela Li, MS, MBA
Webpages / Websites
Robyn Gobbel Parenting and Behavior Free Resources
UW Center for Adoption Medicine (This is a great website with tons of articles, books and information for caregivers who are fostering, in the process of adopting or have already adopted a child. There’s also lots of good information on sleep!)
Michigan Alliance for Families – Behavior Is Communication
Supporting You – The Parent
Blog Posts
Importance of Self-Care: Why Parents Need Time Out to Recharge
Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, FAAP
Nationwide Children’s Self-Care for Parents and Caregivers
Books
Parenting Without Borders: Surprising Lessons Parents Around the World Can Teach Us
Christine Gross-Loh
Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid: A Survival Guide for Ordinary Parents of Special Children
Gina Gallagher and Patricia Konjoian
Podcast
Hand in Hand Parenting Podcast
Webpages / Websites
<strong>Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) </strong>
Books
The Connected Child
Karyn Purvis, PhD, David Cross, PhD, and Wendy Lyons Sunshine
The Connected Parent
Karyn Purvis, PhD, and Lisa Qualls
Video
Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development
Website
Growth and Development
Developmental Stages
Books
Building Healthy Minds: The Six Experiences That Create Intelligence and Emotional Growth in Babies and Young Children
Stanley Greenspan, MD, and Nancy Lewis
Touchpoints – Birth to Three
T. Berry Brazelton, MD, and Joshua D. Sparrow, MD
Touchpoints – Three to Six
T. Berry Brazelton, MD, and Joshua D. Sparrow, MD
What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing
Bruce Perry, MD, PhD, and Oprah Winfrey
CHOC Children’s Developmental Milestones: Fine Motor Skills and Visual Motor Skills
Webpages / Websites
Center for Parenting Education – Child Development by Age
All About Young Children: Information for Families on Children’s Early Development
CDC’s Developmental Milestones
CDC’s Milestones Photo and Video Library
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (This entire website is fantastic. This specific link leads to a page on early childhood development, the science behind it, resilience, best practices, etc.)
Child Development: The First 5 Years
Parenting Children With Disabilities
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Book
Engaging Autism: Using the Floortime Approach to Help Children Relate, Communicate and Think
Stanley Greenspan, MD, and Serena Wieder, PhD
Research Article
Parents’ Strategies to Support Mealtime Participation of Their Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Karla K. Ausderau, corresponding author Brittany St. John, Kristen N. Kwaterski, Beth Nieuwenhuis and Erin Bradley, American Journal of Occupational Therapy
Websites
Challenging Behavior: Autistic Children and Teenagers
Cooperative Behavior: Autistic Children and Teenagers
Prenatal Exposures
Article
Prenatal Exposure to Drugs of Abuse May Affect Later Behavior and Learning
Robert Mathias, National Institute on Drug Abuse
Book
Trying Differently Rather Than Harder: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Diane Malbin
PDFs
Behavioral Symptoms & Accommodations for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Developmental and Behavioral Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Podcast
Therapist
Eileen Devine, neurobehavioral support coach for parents
Video
Siblings With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (An Adoption Story)
Webpages/Websites
<strong>Sensory Challenges & Solutions</strong>
Websites
<strong>Supporting Your Child in School </strong>
Blog Post
8 Steps to Advocating for Your Child at School
Amanda Morin
Child Welfare Information Gateway – Adoption and School Issues
Successful Feeding
Feeding and Positioning
Article
Ellyn Satter Institute: The Division of Responsibility in Feeding
Website
Holt International’s Feeding & Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working With Babies and Young Children (with downloadable PDF)
Feeding Challenges
Podcast
Food Issues With Adopted Children
Websites
Feeding Matters (resources, courses and support for caregivers and professionals)
Holt International’s Feeding & Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working With Babies and Young Children (with downloadable PDF)
Feeding Strategies
Article
Adoptive and Foster Child Feeding Problems
Ellyn Satter, MS, MSSW, dietitian and family therapist
Book
Love Me, Feed Me: The Adoptive Parent’s Guide to Ending the Worry About Weight, Picky Eating, Power Struggles and More
Katia Rowell, MD, The Feeding Doctor
Website
Holt International’s Feeding & Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working With Babies and Young Children (with downloadable PDF)
Food Introductions
Website
Holt International’s Feeding & Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working With Babies and Young Children (with downloadable PDF)
Mealtimes at Home
Article
Making Family Meals Enjoyable: Six Tips
Website
Holt International’s Feeding & Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working with Babies and Young Children (with downloadable PDF)
Picky Eating
Article
Zero to Three: How to Handle Picky Eaters
Blog Post
Getting Your “Picky” Eater to Explore New Foods
Websites
Holt International’s Feeding & Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working With Babies and Young Children (with downloadable PDF)
Sensory Feeding<strong><em> </em> </strong>
Websites
Holt International’s Feeding & Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working With Babies and Young Children (with downloadable PDF)
Your Kid’s Table: Free Sensory Red Flags (with downloadable PDF)
<strong>Nutrition</strong>
Community Group
Your Kid’s Table Facebook Group
Websites
Raising Resilient Kids
<strong><strong>Transitions and Resiliency</strong></strong>
Article
Toddlers and Challenging Behaviors: Why They Do It and How to Respond
Online Publication
Post-Orphanage Behavior in Internationally Adopted Children
Boris Gindis, PhD, Center for Cognitive-Developmental Assessment & Remediation
Video Series
What Behavior Is and How to Change It: Free 3-part Video Series
Robyn Gobbel
Website
<strong><strong>Challenging Behaviors </strong></strong>
Podcast
Parenting Puzzle Podcast (managing meltdowns series)
Webpages
Child Mind Institute – Managing Problem Behavior at Home
Popular Topics: Parenting Guides With Tips and Tools to Help You Raise Happy, Healthy Children
<strong><strong>Dealing With Major Life Events </strong></strong>
Webpage
Child Mind Institute – Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event
<strong><strong>Developing Resiliency </strong></strong>
Webpages
American Psychological Association – Resilience Guide for Parents and Teachers
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University – Resilience
<strong><strong>Emotional Development </strong></strong>
Blog Post
Understanding the Stages of Emotional Development in Children
Hannah Meinke
Book
The Rabbit Listened
Cori Doerrfeld
Webpage/PDF
Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development: Emotional Development in Childhood
<strong><strong>Grief and Loss </strong></strong>
Article
Children and Divorce Help Guide
Gina Kemp, MA, Melinda Smith, MA, and Jeanne Segal, PhD
Books
Helping Children Cope With Separation and Loss
Claudia Jewett Jarratt (Harvard Common Press)
The book is out of print, but inexpensive, used copies are available through Amazon.com and other booksellers.
Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss
Pat Schwiebert and Chuck DeKlyen
Internal and External Processing
Articles
Are Your Kids Internal or External Processors?
Jenni Stahlmann and Jody Hagaman, POP Parenting
Internal vs. External Processing: What Is Your Thinking Style?
Sarah Bircher
Managing Stress
Article
How to Help Children and Teens Manage Their Stress
from the American Psychological Association
Managing Transitions
Book
The Invisible String
Patrice Karst
Website/PDF
CHERISH Transition Toolkit (This is an awesome toolkit designed to be used for infants and toddlers who are transitioning between homes and/or caregivers.)
Reframing Behaviors
Article
Reframing Challenging Behavior
Kittie Butcher, Michigan State University Extension, and Janet Pletcher, Lansing Community College
Self-Regulation
Article
How Can We Help Kids With Self-Regulation?
from the Child Mind Institute
Book
Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life
Dr. Stuart Shanker
Siblings
Articles
How to Maintain Sibling Relationships
Anna Goldfarb
Preparing Siblings for an Older Child Adoption
Gregory C. Keck, PhD
The Sibling Connection,
Lois Melina (requires subscription)
Books
Caring for Your School-Age Child, 3rd Edition: Ages 5-12
from the American Academy of Pediatrics
Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings
Dr. Laura Markham
Siblings Without Rivalry
Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
Your Growing Child
Penelope Leach
Successful Events and Outings
Article
How to Plan Successful Outings for Children on the Autism Spectrum
Amy Nielsen
Blog Post
How to Have a Successful Outing With Your Kids
Kristen Chase
Adoptive Parents: If you’re looking for Post Adoption Reports and information on documentation, please visit our Post Adoption Report Center.
