How to Locate Parenting Resources

One of the wonderful things about parenting is how many others have been there, too. Whether you look online, through community groups, published books, the wisdom of parents or grandparents, or elsewhere, there are relatable parents and experts ready to share advice. Whether you’re just getting started or a seasoned veteran at researching parenting topics, though, it can feel daunting to know where to locate resources. 

When searching for and curating resources, try asking yourself: who are my trusted experts? Do I rely on my friends and family for resources? Are there influencers, books, or healthcare providers that I trust? Prioritizing the resources that are most trustworthy for you personally (these may look different from your spouse or friends!) can help narrow and guide your search. 

This first part of our blog series on “How to Locate Resources” covers how to find and explore books, social media, and community resources! 

Books 

Physical or digital books are one category of resources that often allow us to delve more deeply into a particular topic. Typically, obtaining a physical book requires a bit more forethought than other types of resources (like simply opening Facebook). You’ll have to either find a way to access the book for free, such as through your local library, or buy the book new or used. 

Several avenues we’ve used to find parenting books:

• Purchasing from a publisher or on Amazon 
• Your local library 
• Half Price Books 
• Thrift Books 
• Book fairs or sales 
• Using coupon/discount codes from social media blogs or influencers 
• “Shopping” at the home libraries of your friends, family, or others  

Ways to locate digital books: 

• Guides or books available for purchase on websites 
• Google Books 
• Ebooks or Kindle books (this could include borrowing ebooks from your local library) 

Don’t forget to ask your friends or community! Borrowing a book or sharing one of your own with someone else is a great way to check out books that you may not be able to find or want to buy. If you’ve got multiple books on your “to read” list, consider splitting with a friend – they buy one, you buy one, read, and trade. 

Word of Mouth 

Another common way to gain new parenting knowledge, information, or advice is from our personal contacts – family, friends, or others in our community. These resources, while less physically tangible than a book or blog, often carry great value in our parenting journey. We may place more trust in people that we know in real life and their experiences or recommendations. 

Community resources might include our peers (friends, a mom group, or others in a similar stage of life/parenting as we are), the generation above us (parents, grandparents, older trusted friends), healthcare providers, or others.  

Some suggestions for where to find community resources: 

• MOPS International (Mothers of Preschoolers) is a community that forms local small groups and provides support and resources for moms. 
• Attend a church? Check their available resources for small groups, parental support, or other resources they may offer. 
• Did you attend a birth class while pregnant? Some organizations that offer pregnancy or birth classes also offer parenting classes or local community groups where you can meet up with other parents! 
• Explore the community center in your area for events, classes, webinars, or resources – or try visiting their toddler time, open gym, or other activities to meet other parents. 
• Looking for virtual connections? Try exploring Facebook groups (such as La Leche League – a previously featured pregnancy resource) for additional resources and forums to ask questions. 
• Some pediatrician’s offices offer parenting courses or events you can learn from. Check in with your pediatrician at your next appointment to learn what might be available. 
• Other trained providers may offer online courses, webinars, or guides you can join or purchase. Social media is often a great place to find these resources. 

Social Media

Of course, our list has to include social media! In this age of digital information, social media provides an incredible wealth of resources at our immediate fingertips. Sometimes though, engaging in the virtual world as a parenting resource can be frustrating (see our post about how to consume resources for more tips). Because there’s so much information out there, we might not know where to begin and find ourselves endlessly scrolling without really finding the tips we were looking for.  

One idea is to approach social media with a similar mindset to a word of mouth resource. What accounts do your real life friends follow? Do those influencers offer content you are also interested in? 

Other questions to ask yourself when choosing who to follow: Are there certain accounts that you trust that have recommended others? On the other hand, are there accounts that you always scroll past that you should unfollow? What draws you to engage with a certain resource – the information, the aesthetic, the benefits, the community?

Additionally, consider your social media setup. Could you create a separate account where you did your parenting research, apart from scrolling content posted by your real life friends? Does a time limit help you focus during your research on the applicable content for you? 

By curating your social media feeds to accounts and information that you trust and truly find inspirational for your family, you’ll be able to more effectively benefit from the breadth of resources available online.  

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this “How to Locate Resources” series on finding medical and research oriented resources, coming soon!