If I were a child, Alfie Kohn's Unconditional Parenting is the book I would want my parents to read. I was raised in a household where rewards and punishments were meted out with love and consistency, and I have tremendous respect for my parents. But this book showed me that there is another way to parent that can also produce loving, empathetic, and responsible adults--and it doesn't require punishment, threats, bribes, or rewards.

You might find it surprising that one of my favorite parenting books was written by someone who is the top result of online searches using the terms "America's Worst Mom." She also has a reality show on Discovery/TLC International titled "World's Worst Mom." But Lenore Skenazy has a lovely sense of humor that pairs well with her understanding of parental behavior, and she laughingly accepts the ironic labels. (They were coined by the media after she let her nine-year-old son ride the New York subway alone.) Her ensuing book, Free-Range Kids: Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts with Worry, is a straightforward, humorous, and surprisingly informative read. 

Like me, you probably grew up hearing stories of the scrap lumber forts your dad built as a child, or at least you're familiar with The Sandlot or The Goonies, nostalgic American films that celebrate days of childhood freedom and exploration. Well, in contrast to your dad and the motley neighborhood pals of earlier decades, today's children are no longer spending significant amounts of time outdoors.