The Good Teen: Rescuing Adolescence from the Myths of the Storm and Stress Years

by Richard M. Lerner

Who says the teen years have to be terrible?


Although the word teenager has become synonymous with trouble, the evidence is Adolescents have gotten a bad rap—and this according to a landmark eight-year study of 4,000 teens from twenty-five states. In The Good Teen , acclaimed researcher Richard M. Lerner sets the record straight. The

• Explores the academic origins of “the troubled teen,” dismantling old myths and redefining normal adolescence
• Presents the five characteristics of teen behavior that are proven to fuel positive development—Competence, Confidence, Connection,Character, and Caring—and specific ways parents can foster them
• Envisions our children as resources to be developed, not problems to be fixed
• Clearly shows parents what to do when things really go wrong—all teens, no matter how troubled they seem, can be helped
• Encourages new thinking, new public policies, and new programs that focus on the strengths of teens

“There is no one in America today who understands teenagers better than Richard Lerner.” —William Damon, author of The Moral Child , professor
of education, and director of the Stanford Center on Adolescence, Stanford University

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Psychology, Education

257 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Michele Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would really give this book 3 1/2 stars. I read it not because my teens are troubled,but because I am new to parenting teens. I have 13 year old twins. I didn't love the premise that there is a stereotype that all teens are troubled. I think my teens are pretty great. Most the teens I know are pretty great.
While this book did give me some insight, I felt most of it was nothing new and I felt like I was already doing a lot of what the book suggested.

[NCHS Library]

From Follett: For many parents the thought of the teen years holds dread: teens are obstinate, inconsiderate, and defiant; they sulk and stress; they are prone to bad decisions and unreasonable behavior. Yet, although the word teenager has become synonymous with trouble, the evidence is clear: the bad rap on adolescents is an undeserved one. Here, child development specialist Lerner dismantles old myths and redefines normal adolescence. His work reveals that in spite of the stereotypes, today's teens are basically good kids who maintain healthy relationships with their families. He presents the personality characteristics, called the 5 Cs, that are proven to fuel positive development: Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Caring. He also prescribes specific ways parents can foster the 5 Cs at home and in their communities. --From publisher description.

[Gregory Linton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author provides helpful advice and tips on understanding and managing teenage children, much of it based on his own research.

[Mad Dog · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ach!!!! I am not saying that this book does not have some useful (for some) lists and information in it, but I am saying that it exists in a parallel ideal universe that is not much like the universe we live in.

I read about a 1/3 of the book, but could not finish.

My biggest complaint against this book:
All of the examples are so simple and so clean. 'Jake is a good at guitar and wants to be good at swimming. Jake is a little discouraged about his swimming. So I (the parent) remind him that he is good at guitar and that it took time for him to get good at guitar. He is encouraged and continues to work at swimming and becomes a good swimmer'.

If only the problems of parenting were this simple and easy.