Parenting During a Global Pandemic

Books on Building Connection with Your Child

The Stay at Home order during the COVID-19 Pandemic has shined a light on things going well in our homes, as well as the things we would desire to improve upon. It has reminded parents, caregivers, educators, and supportive adults of the urgency to raise our kids to be resilient. As families spend more time together in their homes, it has brought to the forefront challenging behaviors and emotionally charged moments where we all desire to have a re-do; a chance to show up differently. It has revealed places where our kids need our protection, desire connection, demand respect, and crave autonomy. These seven books serve as a guide to supporting and encouraging parents on their quest to raise resilient, well adjusted, and empowered kids.

Recommended Reading

Fearless Parenting – Stepping into Life's Greatest Role with a Nurturing Heart Approach by Tammy (Small) Fisher

Written by a school counselor and parent in the Seattle area, Tammy's book reads as an empathetic pep talk for parents. Far from being just a book about parenting philosophies, Tammy offers practical tips and strategies on how to reframe challenging behaviors, inviting parents to focus on what is going well, and embrace the power of love and consistency.

The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity and Resilience in Your Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

Integrating research from social development, clinical psychology, and neuroscience, The Yes Brain is an important read for parents looking for strategies on how to deescalate emotionally charged situations, as well as tips for opening your child's mind to embrace new challenges and cultivate the ability to bounce back when faced with adversity.

The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How their Brains Get Wired by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

We know that children who form healthy, secure attachments with the adults in their life go on to lead happier and more fulfilling lives. Starting with an invitation for parents and caregivers to explore their own attachment history, Siegel and Bryson present four ways parents and caregivers can form secure bonds with their kids, no matter where you're starting from.

Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves and Our Society Thrive by Marc Brackett

Author Marc Brackett is an emotion scientist. He believes that understanding our emotions helps our overall success and wellbeing. Through his research, he has created a system called RULER—an evidence-based approach to social-emotional learning that is used in many school districts, including Seattle Public Schools. Permission to Feel describes how RULER came to be, and how to employ the five skills of R-U-L-E-R.

Raising Human Beings: Creating a Collaborative Partnership with Your Child by Dr. Ross Greene

With a goal to establish better parent-child relationships, Dr. Greene invites parents into a collaborative partnership with their child. Raising Human Beings empowers parents to reframe their thoughts around challenging behaviors, stating that these behaviors rarely come from a of lack of desire, motivation, or poor parenting. Instead, research suggests this is often due to lack of skills. Trained as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Greene suggests moving focus away from controlling challenging behaviors, moving towards building empathy, two-way listening, and collaboration.

The Resilience Breakthrough: 27 Tools for Turning Adversity into Action by Christian Moore

At times, this book reads as a memoir. In it, Moore demonstrates his authority on resilience by sharing personal stories of his quest for inner strength, stability, and the drive to keep going. This book is not just for parents—it is a relevant read for anyone looking for inspiration and direction on where to start their own journey toward developing grit and resilience.

Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls by Lisa Damour

This book is most relevant for parents of emerging tweens, teens, and young adult girls. Careful not to convey that stress or anxiety are always bad, Damour informs her readers of the warning signs of chronic anxiety. She unpacks the unique pressure today's girls are under and provides practical ways to support our girls.

About the Author: Brittany Borgeson has a master's degree in School Counseling from Seattle Pacific University. She currently works as a School Counselor at a private school in the Seattle area, where she spent the last three months serving her students and school remotely. She survived the monotony of PHASE 1 by frequently making never-been-tried before recipes, walking her dog, watching Netflix with her husband, and having weekly zoom calls with her out-of-town family. Hang in there everyone!

Read more by Brittany Borgeson