On Becoming Teen Wise: Building a Relationship That Lasts a Lifetime

by Gary Ezzo, Robert Bucknam

Wonderful news for worried moms and dads! "Parents can raise great teens without the fear of storm and stress", say Dr. Robert Bucknam and Gary Ezzo. These parenting experts and bestselling authors explain that parents need not expect rebellion and conflict during their children's adolescence. The authors offer practical how-to's for building a positive relationship that leads to teen years marked by excitement, respect, and smooth family interaction. They show that the key is learning to build bridges to your teen's heart, creating a strong family fabric that lasts well beyond the difficult teenage years.  Come join 28 year Pediatrician Dr. Robert Bucknam, M.D. and co-author Gary Ezzo, M.A. and the community of 6 million homes in all 50 states and around the world that are finding peace and success with their children in the  On Becoming  best selling series! 

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

246 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 2000

Reviews

[Shawna]

Having used the Babywise books with my kids, I was curious to see what insight I could glean from Teenwise. I realized, early on, that my beliefs about the function of family and parenting has changed quite a bit since the reading of Babywise.

I agree with the heart of the book, which is this: teenage rebellion need not be a given. Parenting is hard work, but I have seen many examples of parents and teens that not only survived, but thrived. This book came with some great insight into developing a healthy relationship with your teens.

However, be warned: this book is written from a fairly conservative Christian point of view. They praise the abstinence movement, have traditional views on homosexuality, and believe courtship is preferred over dating (which is an interesting discussion).

Like most parenting books, I suggest looking for the things that may benefit your specific family style, while ignoring the rest. Also, I would personally advocate for the reading of several books with different perspectives. It's better to be over-informed, I think.

[Katie]

I lived BabyWise to a T, back in the day. Loved it. And I remember liking the toddlerwise, childwise books too. I wasn't a huge fan of this one. There was a whole lot of talk about Courtship instead of Dating. If I'm trying to understand my 14 & 16 year olds, I'm not thinking about courtship - which means getting ready for marriage. That fits into the 20-something age-range for me, not teens.

I can't think of that many things that stood out to me after reading this one. I did like the idea of writing your teen a note/letter about a tough topic you know they don't want to discuss with you.

[Ellie Schneidewent]

Good wisdom, as all the books in the series have

[Dee]

Child abuse.
"There are some things that allow me to judge someone immediately: first, an admiration for Ezzo..."

[Lizabeth]

Maybe I need to reread these since Cole is now 12...anyway, I did really like this series but I do think the author was on a bit of a "high horse" in some areas and neglected to see other perspectives that can contribute positively to parenting. I did like the entire line of Ezzo's books and felt the advice was very good, though!

[Danna Dykema]

These books have such practical advice. We must always remember that the marriage was there 1st, and it provides a solid foundation to children when done well. It upsets the child's life when the marriage is unstable.

[Varonnica Locklear]

havent started

[Mandy J. Hoffman]

A wonderful book for any parent of teens to read. You will find much needed advice and practical help for dealing with issues that all teens face.

[Honoree]

Another great book in the ChildWise/BabyWise series. A definite must-read for any parent.

[Cindy]

a friend loaned me this book. The content is valuable, however I had read these tips and advice in other literature works, thus my three stars.

[Sandi]

it's definitely time to read this one!