Teen Tips: A Practical Survival Guide for Parents With Kids 11-19
by Tom McMahon (2003)
Parents may not be able to "cure" adolescence, but they can survive these challenging years. Parenting expert Tom McMahon has gone straight to the source--veteran moms and dads--to solve the mysteries of raising a happy, healthy teenager. Gathered here are hundreds of practical, creative, and proven tips that cover all aspects of parenting a teen:
- Rules and Discipline: Keep order while encouraging your child's independence, and pick your "battles" for what matters the most
- Talking and Listening: Get to know when to sympathize, when to back off, and how to deal with your teen's inevitable moodiness
- School and Learning: free yourself from being the "homework cop," while nurturing both curiosity and enthusiasm
- Friendships and Relationships: Use role-playing to handle peer pressure, and help nurture healthy relationships
- Drugs and Alcohol: Pinpoint telltale signs of problems before they become serious, and stay involved by providing alternatives to parties with alcohol
- Responsibility and Money: Strike a balance between chores and allowance, and make part-time jobs an introduction to money management
- Self-esteem and Values: Enhance your teen's exposure to role models who will strengthen character and boost self-confidence.
Whatever the situation, teen tips is full of down-to-earth, inventive advice. It's an indispensable guide to navigating the teen years--and making the journey as rewarding for the parent as it is for the aspiring young adult.