| Let's Talk Teens 
Table of Contents | Authors | What Others Say | Purchase 
 | *Understand changing teens and learn to love them *Build a relationship with your teen that can last a lifetime *Shed light on struggles and tackle problems together |
Have you noticed how people dote over infants and toddlers, marveling at how cute they are, rubbing their heads and squeezing their cheeks? Such a fuss is made over young children as they are smothered with attention! How wonderful it must feel to be a cuddly child everyone loves. On through the years, as young children grow, adults are eager to cheer them on. Parents buy video cameras to capture the first swimming lesson, and the first Christmas program. Again, how great it must feel to be the source of an adult’s joy, and the object of admiration. A funny thing happens, though, as children become teenagers. Many people become skeptical, fearful, or standoffish of teenagers. They try to avoid teens. What a shame that at the time in a teen’s life when they are in need of affirmation and encouragement, many adults are unable to respond. This is a typical time of disconnection between children and adults. Encouraging parents to connect with teens is the focus of this book. Parents often long for the years past when their children obviously needed them and asked for help. The truth is that teens do need parents, but in different ways than they needed them in the past. Teens do care about parents’ opinions, when parents communicate tactfully and honestly. Parenting teenagers is all about relationship-understanding one another, honestly communicating, and letting each other know we care. Relationship is a two way street, but parents show the way. The teen years are nothing to be afraid of. In fact, with a little understanding, these can be the most fulfilling and memorable years of child rearing. Our own teenagers gave us their opinions about why it is important for parents to have a relationship with their teen. Their responses sum up the ideas we share in this book: If you aren’t close, teens won’t want to listen to you. You respect each other’s opinion more if you are in a relationship.
If you don’t have a relationship with your mom, you don’t care what she thinks, but if you care what she thinks you are going to want to do what is right.
Teens will want to spend more time with parents and respect them more if they have a relationship.
Teens need someone to rely on and look to when making hard decisions. They have friends, but also need a positive role model to show them what is right and wrong.
Parents and teens also have the opportunity to experience the greatest relationship possible: a relationship with God. By examining His instruction for us, found in the Bible, we can learn to adopt His characteristics and become more like Him. No matter what we are confronted with when raising our teens, God is all we need, when we seek him. It is our prayer that this book will enable your relationship with God to be refreshed, and your relationship with your teen to be strengthened. Back to Parenting Resources | 
