Congrats―You're Having a Teen!: Strengthen Your Family and Raise a Good Person

by Kenneth R. Ginsburg

A new way of thinking about (and celebrating!) your child during these critical years! Congrats—you're having a teen! No, really—congratulations! You're entering one of the most exciting, important phases of parenting. These years are your best opportunity to guide your child toward a thriving adulthood and strengthen your relationship with them for life. This guide will help you understand, encourage, support, love, and, yes, even celebrate your teen!

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Self Help

300 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2022

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply fantastic! Dr. Ginsburg teaches how to guide teens through adolescence in a compassionate and nurturing way while developing lifelong close bonds with parents, but also helping to set safe boundaries. He debunks many commonly held myths about teenagers and gives the reader truths to replace those myths. He sees adolescence as a time of growth and opportunity, rather than something to fear or dread. His optimistic perspective and respect for the adolescent is refreshing. This is an invaluable resource for every parent and/or professional who works with children this age and is definitely a book you will want on hand to refer back to through the years!

[Laurie Dameshek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a charming mix of thoroughly researched concepts and helpful practices to help parents of teens thrive. As Dr. Ginsburg notes, our society is deeply troubled by adolescence; the stories and advice he presents bust all of those myths and counter them with love and humor. While I no longer have teens at home, I work with students and parents I believe can all benefit from Dr. Ginsburg's positive approach. His recommendations help adults guide teens through the complex world we encounter every day. I loved the organization of the information, with each chapter providing real world examples and straightforward recommendations for healthy parent-teen interaction. There are so many valuable suggestions and resources provided throughout the book to help adults approach the adolescents in their lives with love and understanding and the right amount of guidance.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the title of this book for a couple of different reasons. The first is that the title is similar to what people say when you are having a baby but no one ever says that about having a teenager. The second reason I like the title is that it is celebrating the fact that you are a parent of a teenager which is also so rare.

The main focus of the book is to dispel myths about being a parent of teenagers. Throughout the book, there are educational facts about teenage development combined with concrete actions parents can implement to be a positive parent and develop a healthy relationship with their teenager. Often there are specific examples of "say this," and "not this" to help parents understand how to appropriately respond in many different types of situations.

I highly recommend this excellent book and I think that all parents of teenagers could benefit from reading it.

[Tegan Mclane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hopeful and helpful! The author clearly cares about/celebrated teens in a way you rarely see. The concept of reframing the teen years as a fun time is new. I really appreciated that the chapters are short, perfect for reading one in its entirety and the reflecting on it — especially if, like me, you need to read it discreetly. Info is easy to understand and many resources (websites, other books, organizations) are offered, so you can go more into depth on things that matter. I was a little annoyed with the redundant format (“tell us what you’re going to tell us; tell us; tell us what you told us”) but have to admit it probably helped me retain info. Wish I’d read this before my kid actually became a teen!

[Karen Harper Ren Ruggiero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am preparing to adopt a teenager and am mildly terrified. This book celebrates teens and addresses issues head-on with wisdom and compassion. It's easy to look up specific issues you may be facing if you're looking for advice on a certain situation. This is definitely a book I'll keep on hand and refer to again and again!