Best Parenting Books for Dads (2026)
Most parenting books aren't written for dads. They're written for moms, and dads are expected to figure it out from there.
These books are different. They're either written with dads in mind, or they're practical enough that the advice translates directly. No fluff. No guilt trips. Just useful frameworks for showing up better when parenting gets hard.
These aren't quick fixes. Reading a book won't make you a different person overnight. But understanding why you react the way you do - and what helps - is where change starts.
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids
By Dr. Laura Markham
If you already know you have an anger problem, start here. Markham's central argument is that you can't regulate your child until you can regulate yourself. She doesn't waste time making you feel guilty about losing your temper - she assumes you already feel bad enough.
The book walks you through managing your own triggers first, then gives you practical scripts for handling tantrums, defiance, and sibling fights without yelling. It's based on attachment research but written in plain language.
Best for: Dads who yell and hate that they yell.
Good Inside
By Dr. Becky Kennedy
Dr. Becky's central idea: your kids are good inside, even when their behavior is terrible. And so are you. This reframe sounds simple, but it changes how you respond to meltdowns, defiance, and all the moments that make you want to lose it.
The book is heavy on self-compassion for parents - which might feel uncomfortable at first. But her point is that shame makes everything worse. When you stop beating yourself up for struggling, you have more capacity to change.
Best for: Dads who are hard on themselves and their kids.
The Whole-Brain Child
By Daniel J. Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD
This is the book that explains why your kid acts the way they do. Siegel is a neuroscientist, and he breaks down child brain development in a way that makes sense.
The key insight: kids aren't being difficult on purpose. Their brains literally can't do what you're asking sometimes. Once you understand this, a lot of frustrating behavior starts to make sense - and your expectations shift accordingly.
The book includes 12 practical strategies for "integrating" your child's brain (helping the rational and emotional parts work together). Useful at any age, but especially good for parents of kids under 12.
Best for: Dads who want to understand the "why" behind their kid's behavior.
No-Drama Discipline
By Daniel J. Siegel, MD and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD
The companion to The Whole-Brain Child, focused specifically on discipline. Siegel and Bryson's argument: discipline should teach, not punish. And you can't teach when your kid (or you) is in fight-or-flight mode.
The book gives you a framework for handling misbehavior that changes behavior long-term - instead of just stopping it in the moment through fear or intimidation.
If you've ever wondered "what am I supposed to do instead of yelling?" this book has concrete answers.
Best for: Dads who want to stop yelling but don't know what to do instead.
Hunt, Gather, Parent
By Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD
Doucleff, an NPR science reporter, traveled to Maya, Inuit, and Hadzabe communities to understand how they raise remarkably cooperative, helpful kids - without yelling, timeouts, or most Western parenting techniques.
This book will challenge a lot of assumptions. It turns out that many of the things we think are "natural" about parenting are actually recent Western inventions. And some of them are making our lives harder.
The practical takeaway: kids are wired to want to help and contribute. When we let them (instead of doing everything ourselves or entertaining them constantly), behavior problems decrease.
Best for: Dads who are exhausted by modern parenting and open to a different approach.
Raising a Secure Child
By Kent Hoffman, Glen Cooper, and Bert Powell
These three guys created the Circle of Security program, which has been taught to thousands of families. The core idea: kids need you to be two things - a safe base to explore from, and a safe place to come back to. Most of the hard moments in parenting happen when one of those needs isn't being met.
The book helps you figure out which need your kid is expressing (even when their behavior makes no sense), and what gets in your way when you try to respond. It's honest about the fact that your own childhood affects how you parent - without turning that into a therapy session.
Best for: Dads who want to understand what their kid needs from them.
The Expectant Father
By Armin A. Brott
If you've got a baby on the way, this is the book. Brott has been writing for dads since the '90s, and this is the most widely-read expecting-dad book out there for a reason. It walks through pregnancy month by month from the dad's perspective - what's happening with the baby, what's happening with your partner, and what's happening with you.
It covers the stuff nobody tells dads: how to deal with feeling sidelined during pregnancy, what to actually do in the delivery room, and how your own identity shifts when you go from guy to father. Straightforward, no fluff.
Best for: Expecting dads who want to know what's coming.
Where to Start
If you're not sure which to read first:
- If you yell and want to stop: Start with "Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids"
- If you want to understand your kids better: Start with "The Whole-Brain Child"
- If you're burned out on modern parenting: Start with "Hunt, Gather, Parent"
- If you want to understand what your kid needs from you: Start with "Raising a Secure Child"
- If you've got a baby on the way: Start with "The Expectant Father"
Reading helps. But real change happens when you practice what you learn. These books give you frameworks - but you still have to do the work.
For more support, see our mental health resources for dads - including therapy options, support groups, and podcasts.
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