Time Together
/
Time Together
Books for parents of teens
Amy Mendenhall
Anyone parenting a teenager or a “tweenager” knows what a difficult road they have to travel. In “Getting to Calm” by Laura S. Kastner, Ph.D, and Jennifer Wyatt, Ph.D ,(Parent Map, $19.95) the authors try to help parents better navigate the journey with fewer bumps along the way.
The book addresses how best to deal with rude behavior; what to do when teens do something not too smart, the emotional reasoning behind it and how to best let them learn from their mistakes; what to do when a teenager lies, emphasising the CALM technique (Cool down, Assess options, Listen with empathy and Make a plan), what to do when you and your spouse or children’s father disagree and why the good cop/bad cop routine isn’t good; what to do when your teen is acting spoiled; how parents can feel they’re losing their child; what to do when they’re screaming or not talking to you; how to address bullies or mean friends; discussing technology and more specifically, the Internet; grades; the problems of drinking and smoking and maybe the biggest landmine of all, dating and sex.
This is a good book to have on hand when facing a problem with a teenager, especially since the difficulties you may be facing as a parent may change as the child develops. The authors’ cool and no-nonsense approach is an easy one to read and be able to adapt in your own life.
***
Calm down and enjoy a laugh with a few humorous essays from author Kirk Enright in “Death by Suburb” (Verbal Rebellion, $14.99).
Adapted from his blog, www.deathbysuburb.com, in a collection of short stories, Enright tackles parenting issues with a funny twist that will bring a smile to your face. From a conversation with a 4-year-old about why it’s not polite to talk about whether or not a stranger is fat to reminiscing about family trips of yore, to parents complaining about never going out (but not wanting to go out either), to what anyone wishes they could do to service department personnel, and the worst places for children to have their meltdowns.
There’s also a hilarous essay about the complications of the drop-off policy at school and what should happen to parents that don’t follow it, preschool health policies explained (they’re sending your kid home for any good reason) and what happens when preschoolers rhyme (inadvertent swearing is involved).
There’s plenty of funny and relatable stories inside this little book, for both moms and dads and will give you that extra boost of cheer for the day.
POSTED: November 10, 2009
Advertisement
Anyone parenting a teenager or a “tweenager” knows what a difficult road they have to travel. In “Getting to Calm” by Laura S. Kastner, Ph.D, and Jennifer Wyatt, Ph.D ,(Parent Map, $19.95) the authors try to help parents better navigate the journey with fewer bumps along the way.
The book addresses how best to deal with rude behavior; what to do when teens do something not too smart, the emotional reasoning behind it and how to best let them learn from their mistakes; what to do when a teenager lies, emphasising the CALM technique (Cool down, Assess options, Listen with empathy and Make a plan), what to do when you and your spouse or children’s father disagree and why the good cop/bad cop routine isn’t good; what to do when your teen is acting spoiled; how parents can feel they’re losing their child; what to do when they’re screaming or not talking to you; how to address bullies or mean friends; discussing technology and more specifically, the Internet; grades; the problems of drinking and smoking and maybe the biggest landmine of all, dating and sex.
This is a good book to have on hand when facing a problem with a teenager, especially since the difficulties you may be facing as a parent may change as the child develops. The authors’ cool and no-nonsense approach is an easy one to read and be able to adapt in your own life.
***
Calm down and enjoy a laugh with a few humorous essays from author Kirk Enright in “Death by Suburb” (Verbal Rebellion, $14.99).
Adapted from his blog, www.deathbysuburb.com, in a collection of short stories, Enright tackles parenting issues with a funny twist that will bring a smile to your face. From a conversation with a 4-year-old about why it’s not polite to talk about whether or not a stranger is fat to reminiscing about family trips of yore, to parents complaining about never going out (but not wanting to go out either), to what anyone wishes they could do to service department personnel, and the worst places for children to have their meltdowns.
There’s also a hilarous essay about the complications of the drop-off policy at school and what should happen to parents that don’t follow it, preschool health policies explained (they’re sending your kid home for any good reason) and what happens when preschoolers rhyme (inadvertent swearing is involved).
There’s plenty of funny and relatable stories inside this little book, for both moms and dads and will give you that extra boost of cheer for the day.
Facebook
MySpace
Digg
Stumble
Mixx
Fark
del.icio.us
LiveSpaces
