Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools, and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation
By Doug Bolton, Ph.D., 2025
What is something adults can do to better prepare children for the future? This book argues that traditional methods of discipline, steeped in rewards and punishments, undermine long-term development in children. Instead, the author, drawing on years of experience as a psychologist and school principal, says that what children need is the opportunity to build strong, connected relationships. Furthermore, when children are surrounded by safe, bonded environments at home and in school, the more likely children are to feel grounded, less anxious and able to handle a challenging world.
Big Kids, Bigger Feelings: Navigating Defiance, Meltdowns, and Anxiety to Raise Confident, Connected Kids
By Alyssa Blask Campbell, M.Ed. with Rachel Stuart Lounder, 2025
A practical guide for caregivers with children ages 5-12, this book focuses on the elementary school years as children experience new sets of social and emotional challenges. It offers insights into why these years can still bring meltdowns, defiance and anxiety. Backed with scientific research and real-life examples, the author introduces the Collaborative Emotion Processing method which teaches strategies for handling topics such as peer pressure, technology use and body changes while emphasizing emotional intelligence. After reading, caregivers will find empowerment to take on building stronger and more connected relationships as families navigate managing big emotions.
The Crucial Years: The Essential Guide to Mental Health and Modern Puberty in Middle Childhood (ages 6-12)
By Sheryl Ziegler, 2025
Navigating childhood is becoming more strenuous for both parents and children. This book is a new guide to understanding the years between the ages of 6-12 years old, an often-overlooked period important for mental health and growth development. In these pages, science-based strategies are presented to help children manage topics such as healthy coping skills, learning to talk about complicated feelings and addressing pressures from digital influences. Readers will feel prepared with more tools for helping any child in their life to flourish during these middle years and begin the teenage years with more confidence and resilience.
Emotion Regulation: Helping Children & Adolescents Take Charge of Their Feelings
By Lauren H. Kerstein, 2025
Effective emotional management is a skill that can take time and effort to master. This book for caregivers uses workbook activities, which can be completed independently or as a family, to introduce topics such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior and other positive psychology techniques. It gives users the appropriate tools to assist in helping children work through emotional challenges. Also, it emphasizes that knowing when help is needed is an important step in developing emotional growth, leading to better resilience and self-awareness. Ultimately, readers will learn that focusing on emotional regulation often with children helps promote healthier relationships, enhances self-esteem and smooths overall daily functioning.
All Feelings Welcome: Parenting Practices for Raising Caring, Confident, and Resilient Kids
By Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen, 2024
A useful book for anyone with a child in their life, this is a guide encouraging the important development of emotional intelligence and resilience in children. The authors are experts in the field of early childhood education and present a comprehensive framework throughout the book using practical tools and heartfelt insight. They emphasize the idea that supporting children in noticing and naming all emotions, from the everyday to more challenging experiences, is what it takes to foster a stronger connection, community and overall well-being for all.
Raising a Kid Who Can: Simple Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Adaptability and Emotional Strength
By Catherine McCarthy, M.D., Heather Tedesco, Ph.D. and Jennifer Weaver, LCSW, 2023
How to help your child thrive is often a common parenting advice question. This book seeks to answer that question through ten essential principles – such as resilience, attention, self-control, psychological flexibility, self-motivation, compassion and gratitude. Structured for easy reference with brief chapters, the authors draw on neuroscience and clinical practice to help parents focus on what truly builds a child’s emotional strength and ability to adapt. Using these tips will help parents raise emotionally healthy children who are more capable of navigating today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world.
