08.14.11
Posted in: Uncategorized
I was excited when I was asked to review a book by Arden Greenspan-Goldberg What Do You Expect? She’s a Teenager. I have a 14 year old daughter and I swear there are times when I would love to lock myself in a room and just scream. I can’t be the only one who feels this way. Keeping up with her and trying to help her grow into a productive part of society is going to be the end of me.I swear it.
My daughter thought is was cool that I had the book she read the back cover where it talked about the topics of bullying, body image, drugs, alcohol, sex and stress. I think that I have a pretty open relationship with my daughter but the truth is you just never really know..that’s the scary thing about being a parent. This is where.even if you don’t pray.you pray!
My daughter did think that she could make me mad one day last week..she told me that I need a book to understand her and I don’t know anything..breath.breath.breath!
All in all the book was interesting. I consider is a starting point to have discussion with your daughter before some things may come to the surface. I don’t agree with everything in the book and I am not one of “those mom’s” who can sit down calmly and have an adult conversation. Some of the things I read were to far off base for me. For instance there was a situation when a 12 year old daughter was found on her sisters computer looking at porn. The suggested conversation was to say that tweens was to grow up fast and that I understand she may feel guilty but porn is bad and it pulls you in and then you can get hooked on it. It also made mention that the porn industry is a 7 billion dollar industry. I agree that you must talk about the situation with your daughter I just don’t agree with the conversation starter.
Anyways, there were some good points about setting time limits for computer and cell phone time. I need to follow those rules myself. The book is set up in a Dear Abby type of type of way. It made the book an easy and quick read (love that). I also liked the idea to carry a picture of your daughter when she was a baby with you and when you are having “a bad moment” with her take the picture out and look at it to help calm you down a little bit.
I would suggest this book as a great way to open the doors for communication even if you don’t agree with everything and every conversation starter. It helped me think about how I would approach the situation and also gives me a calm thought to different issues instead of getting hit with it out of the blue one day.
Do you have a teenager?
How do you handle the difficult times? I really want to know.
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3 Responses to Book Review and A New Outlook
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Dawn
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oh gosh i do not have my own teenager but i was a middle school teacher for 12 years and now i am a high school asstistant principal. i would just say continue to parent and don’t worry so much about being your teenagers best friend.
My oldest son is almost 14 so I can totally relate! Sometimes he will just refuse to do what I tell him. I will ask him to do something and he will firmly say, “No Mom.” and just walk away! So sometimes I have to call in the big guns (my husband)!!!
I admit it… much as I wanted a daughter, during the teen years I was glad I had only boys. I think they are easier. I know I was a horrible teen! But now my mom and I are so close. She WILL outgrow it!