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Babies don鈥檛 come with instruction manuals. Children are at once joyful, sad, confusing, predictable, generous, selfish, gentle, and mean. What鈥檚 a parent to do when faced with such perplexing offspring? Given the complex interactions of parent, child, and surroundings, parents often feel lost. Many may seek answers in parenting books.

, and there are tens of thousands of titles for sale. The big question, though, is: Do parenting books help?

How effective they are is a matter of debate, especially given the lack of scientific evidence regarding their usefulness. Limited research has found that  to readers鈥攖hink tips about time management or healthy eating. And studies find that using books independently to improve well-being鈥攚hat psychologists call bibliotherapy鈥攊s , .

So it makes sense that reading a parenting book could be useful. In terms of quality and usefulness, however, they exist on a continuum.

 ; have taught thousands of students about parenting; and write about family, parenting, and development through the life span. One of us (Bethany) is the mother of six little ones, while the other of us (Denise) has two adult children, one of whom is Bethany. We believe parents can become  that will be most appropriate for them. Here are five questions to think about when you鈥檙e looking for the best parenting book for you.

1. Who Wrote It, and Why?

A good parent doesn鈥檛 need a Ph.D.; neither does an author. However, an advanced degree in an area related to parenting helps in understanding and interpreting relevant research.

Another consideration is the experience of the author. Having one or a dozen children does not make someone an expert. Doing more parenting doesn鈥檛 necessarily make you better at it. Not having a child doesn鈥檛 disqualify someone from being an expert, either, but should be thoughtfully considered. We taught parenting classes before having children, and it鈥檚 fair to say that our own parenting experiences have added depth, insight, and even grace to what we teach.

The reason someone wrote a parenting book can also be informative. Advice from authors who write out of angst about their own upbringing or who failed at parenting should be taken with a grain of salt.

Finally, don鈥檛 let celebrities鈥� books fool you. Most of these are written by  and are primarily designed to sell books or build a brand.

2. Is It Based on Science?

Psychology researcher and  writes that scientists have studied parenting for over 75 years, and findings related to effective parenting are among the most consistent and long-standing in social science. If you notice inconsistencies between parenting books, it鈥檚 because 鈥�.鈥�

How can you tell if a book is grounded in science? Look for citations, names of researchers, sources, and an index. Also, learn the basic principles of effective parenting determined through decades of research and . They include: Set rules, be consistent, be loving, treat children with respect, and avoid harsh discipline.

If the book you鈥檙e considering is not consistent with these guidelines, rethink its parenting advice. Likely, it鈥檚 based not on science but on opinion or personal belief. Opinion and belief have a place, but science is better in this space.

3. Is It Interesting to Read?

If the book is not interesting, you are . Before taking a book home, read the first page and flip to a page in the middle to see if it grabs your attention. Try to find books you can read in small bites, skip around in, and return to in the future.

Avoid books that contain 鈥減sychobabble,鈥� pseudoscientific jargon that has an air of authenticity but lacks clarity. For example, the publisher鈥檚 description of the book reads, 鈥淭he Indigo Child is a child who displays a new and unusual set of psychological attributes that reveal a pattern of behavior generally undocumented before. This pattern has common yet unique factors that demand that parents and teachers change their treatment and upbringing of them in order to achieve balance. To ignore these new patterns is to potentially create great frustration in the minds of these precious new lives.鈥� Pass.

4. Is It Realistic?

Run, don鈥檛 walk, from any book that tells you its method always works or that any failure is because of you鈥攐r, worse yet, ignores failure.

It鈥檚 impossible to provide advice for every single parent, child, and situation! An effective parenting book appreciates context and complexity and informs the reader that not all answers are in the book. No parent is perfect, but , and no child is completely malleable. Even parents who do everything right may have children who become wayward.

Make sure the book provides you with detailed , as well as ways to track improvements. In other words, make sure it is actionable.

Finally, a parenting book should respect a parent鈥檚 instincts.

5. Does It Motivate and Inspire Hope?

Some parenting books offer insights related to general behavior, like . Others offer insights for specific issues, like . Likely, you will be more motivated to read a book that reflects your specific needs and values and leaves you feeling hopeful.

A word of caution, however. One study found that parenting books that stress strict routines for infant sleep, feeding, and general care might actually make parents . Parenting research does not support overly strict routines, and it鈥檚 easy to understand why most of these parents did not find such books useful.

Remember to Trust Yourself

When you read a parenting book, the goal is to feel empowered, more confident, excited, and even relieved. You are not alone, nor are you the only parent with questions.

Psychologist  described parenting as 鈥渢he  of all the tasks of adulthood.鈥�

Yes, parenting can be tough. In your parenting adventures, you鈥檒l likely need all the resources and tools you can muster. With thoughtful and critical explorations, you can find books that enhance your personal wisdom and intuition to help in raising these delightfully complicated little humans.

This article was originally published by . It has been published here with permission.