I recently finished reading two parenting books that I thought worthy of recommendation. The first is a discipline book called 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12. I don't believe that there is one discipline method that is perfect and will work with every child, but I did like the basic counting system introduced in this book. We've been using it for about a month with our two children (ages 2 and almost 4) and have definitely seen some positive results. It's worth reading and giving it a try to see if these techniques can work in your home! (And if you're short on time, there's also a DVD version- check it out from the library!)
The second parenting book I read was Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know about the Emerging Science of Sex Differences. I found it fascinating to read about some of the scientific differences between male and female brains, for example, how boys and girls hear differently. As I read I could see so many connections and manifestations of the authors points from my experience as a teacher and as a mom! I must say that I did not enjoy the chapters on sex and drugs (and actually ended up skimming/skipping them), but the rest of the book was worth the read! I liked how the author put in practical ways parents and teachers can use their knowledge of gender differences to help each child reach their potential.