Jun 082013
Getting to Calm: Cool-Headed Strategies for Parenting Tweens + Teens
- ISBN13: 9780982345405
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Parenting a teenager is tougher than ever, but new brain research offers new insight into the best way to connect with teens. With humor, wisdom and a deep understanding of the teenaged brain, noted teen expert Dr. Laura Kastner shows parents how to stay calm and cool-headed while dealing with hot-button issues everything from rude attitude and lying to sex and substance use — with clear, easy-to-follow suggestions for setting limits while maintaining a close and loving relationship. Find out w
List Price: $ 19.95
Price: $ 11.63
My most difficult negotiations are at home…,
Ok, the first thing you need to know is that I’m not a psychologist, or teacher or social worker. I’m a 50-something male attorney on my third teen! The next thing you should know is that this isn’t a book I would have picked up at the bookstore on my own. However, since my wife “gently” suggested I read it, I gave it a go. The first chapter struck home (“Why are Today’s Teens so Rude?”) and I was hooked from there…didn’t stop until I finished the last page. The book is full of down to earth, easily understood advice and although it was not intuitive for a 50-something attorney who often falls into debate mode with his kids, I found it incredibly helpful. Highly recommended reading for those looking to steer clear of courtroom drama with their teens!
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Enjoy Life with Your Teenagers,
This book would have been a powerful resource for me to have been able to recommend to parents when I was a secondary school teacher for thirty years. In the book the authors say that teachers are experts, and yes, they are a good resource, but this book is amazing. They don’t just tell you about strategies; they walk you through conversations between teens and their parents showing not only the content, but also the process, analyzing what each participant’s responses. They point out mistakes that parents make and explain what parents should avoid, but also show how to be more successful talking with teenagers.
The book covers so many issues which come up. The chapter, “When You’re Fighting About Grades”, is just one of many that could be so helpful to all parents. The section titled “Seven Top Tips for Boosting School Achievement” in that chapter offers excellent guidelines as does “The ABC’S of Family Health” in the chapter about getting stressed out. They also deal with drinking, smoking, dating, and the use of electronic devices all while pointing out what it is like to be a teenager.
By the end of the book the reader is shown two scripts where two different fathers take diverse approaches with a daughter who has received a poor progress report. The successful parent shown is “calm, careful and skillful” and as a reader, I felt empowered to use their strategies not only with teenagers, but with any family member. The thought-out careful approach can make all the difference.
I would recommend this book to all parents of teenagers. Would anyone want to miss the section about “More Responsibility for Kids”?
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Help for parents,
Getting to Calm: Cool-Headed Strategies for Parenting Tweens and Teens
This book is quite readable and reasonable. I particularly liked the up-to-the-minute brain information, which explains teen behaviors (and parents’, too)in ways that take the moral sting out of negative behaviors. I found the language helpful; for example, “rudeness” is a better description of typical teen behavior than “defiance.” And “discipline” is really, at its root, about learning, not punishing. The chapter on entitlement and indulgence is superb.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book for all parents, even if they don’t yet have teens!
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