As a parent of a few teens, I know all the drama associated with teens. It is always amazing how I think I am one ahead and I end up one step behind them. Some days pulling my hair out I just think back to when I was a teen, hoping for an answer from that magical time, but things are so different now and while basics remain the same, life has changed. Smartphones drive me over the edge as the kids are obsessed with textig, and SnapChat, and any other social app out there. Pry away a phone and get into a heated battle, right? What about the ability to Facetime anywhere and how many problems have come because of it? How did our parents get through that most blessed blissdom of teen time? I know we did not have technology but I am sure we had other things that challenged our parents. Sometimes it would be nice if there were a resource for all the craziness and mayhem and situations that come up when parenting a teen, and getting them ready for this year in school. I am looking for a resource that will take minimal time to look at and learn from yet be beneficial, does such a thing exist? Lavishly living parenting out loud I seem to be wearing the “Help me Out” sign on my sleeve today, but I have found a bit of help in a book that I want to share, that will have you surviving while parenting teens.
A Survival Guide to Parenting Teens: Talking to Your Kids About Sexting,Drinking, Drugs, and Other Things That Freak You Out, Joani Geltman, will help out the 21st Century parents with teens. The author has experience as a psychology professor, school counselor and parenting coach, Joani has had the experience of raising her own famous teen – Ari Graynor, who has starred in the CBS Television Series, Bad Teacher. What is provided in this book is nothing less than humor and advice to help manage those that might be smartphone addicts, homework avoiders, procrastinators and even sexting.
Midterms in my home cause a combination of problems. I would rather run to Vegas for the weekend than put up with the whining that evolves, but as a parent I stand firm. A mistake might be made by trying to tell the kids that they should have prepared ahead, but as Joani explains so nicely on P. 66 “lecturing on what they should have done has no place here.” Really she is right, you already have that water under the bridge, now it is time to tread from this point forward and get them moving. Offer smartphone breaks, but do get that phone off of them. Offer food breaks as rewards, I mean teens eat right. Help them improve their study habits by simply reinforcing breaks, then you seem cool and the task is less intrusive on their lives and less stressful on yours!
Here’s a sampling of some of the chapters from the book.
- Lies of Omission: “Oh. I Didn’t Think I Had to Tell You That”
- Helping Your Teen with Remember: You Forgot Your _________ Again?
- Summer Reading: Thank You Teachers, for Ruining My Last Few Weeks of Summer
- Senioritus-Parentitus: Surviving the Application Process and Tips for Successful College Visits
- The Messy Room: To Clean or Not to Clean
- The Consequences of Sexting: A “Weinergate” Moment
- Cell phone/Smartphone Monitoring: Should I or Shouldn’t I?
- Dealing with Your Teen’s Cell phone Addiction
- Does My Teen Text Too Much? IF so, What Can I Do About It?
- Driving Distracted: Don’t Let Their Fingers Do the Talking When They’re Driving
- A Scary Story: The Misuse of Smartphones
- Teaching Your Teen about Money Management: Curbing the Teen Money Pit
Do you have a senior in your house? The senioritis-parentitis is the perfect chapter. College visits, parenting tips for these kids and getting them to SATs is critical and this will effectively give you some power. Remember letting go is not a bad thing, it’s just how far you let the line go is up to you! This chapter just made me laugh and is so pivotal in our lives right now!
Are you ready to laugh and school your teen without them knowing? A Survival Guide to Parenting Teens: Talking to Your Kids About Sexting,Drinking, Drugs, and Other Things That Freak You Out, is ready to help you through the most trying years of your life. Lavishly live parenting a teen out loud and read this book with your coffee, at lunch and anytime you have a free second. The chapters are short, the content valuable and you will turn back to this book as your Dear Abby of Teen Parenting over and over!
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