Customer Reviews

Have a New Teenager by Friday: From Mouthy and Moody to Respectful and Responsible in 5 Days

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I started very enthusiastically, and was quite disappointed because of the high expectations the title plus the book encourages. Unfortunately, this author lost me totally when he made the gender stereotype that moms tend to be push-overs more than dads. And totally worsened it when he made a pun of the word push-over and compared it to moms pushing babies through the birth channel! Really crude. Stay away.

The ideas are old-news, non inspiring and totally oversimplified. He starts with the archaic idea that there are 2 types of parents (permissive and authoritarian), and then tells you how not to be either.

At this point in time in our lives, we don't have a teenager but having four kids with the oldest being 10 years old, I know that these years are just around the corner.

To be honest, I like to be prepare... I somewhat remember when I was a teen and I know that I probably gave some white hair to my poor mom. Therefore, knowing what I went through (and my husband knowing what he went through), we have decided to prepare ourselves in advance. Mind you I know that we might not be fully prepared but still having books from authors like Dr. Leman is nice to have in our bookshelves.

So like I said, I am not officially in the teenage years but nevertheless, I have read the book and find it very instructive and an eye opener as well. The book will help you to make adjustments living with a teen, reaching his/her heart through these difficult years, how to raise a street-smart kid, how to keep him/her in your world and navigate in his/her world at the same time and how to take advantage of these years. At the end of the book, Dr. Leman also approach 75 hot topics that parents ask him during his seminars. Not only will you read his thoughts about topics like driving, drugs, eye-rolling, attitude and so on but you will also read stories from parents who tried his tips.

The more I read Dr. Leman's books, the more I am sold out to him. I am learning quite a bit while reading this book and I am feeling less stressed about the upcoming dreadful years ahead of us.

"Do you know this person? He eats cereal out of a large mixing bowl...Congratulations! You have a teenager in your home." Although my son's only 12, he's pretty much already there!

Dr. Kevin Leman, the author, writes in a very conversational tone. Chapters are divided into Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and are easy to read in small chunks of time ' this is a good book to keep in the bathroom. I enjoyed reading and I think it's a good book to read before your child even gets to the teenage years, as Dr. Leman often mentions how important it is to lay a good foundation when your child is young. I found that I was pretty much already parenting using the tools and techniques Dr. Leman mentions, although I did disagree with him a few times. I did also find that the book helped me get in a good frame of mind for parenting and give me some perspective (which is why I like reading at least one book on parenting a year). It's always good to be reminded that not everything has to be a battle, and that you can 'Let the reality do the work so you don't have to.' I like Dr. Leman's use of humour in parenting ' it can be a great way to get a point through to your teen.
Once you've read through Dr. Leman's tips on parenting a teenager, you can keep it handy to peruse the glossary at the back, 'Ask Dr. Leman'. This includes advice on 75 parenting topics, including Sibling Rivalry, Lying, Know-it-Alls, and Responsibility.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I love Kevin Leman and have read a number of his books in the last couple years, particularly his best-selling book, Have A New Kid By Friday, so pleasantly surprised when I heard the version for parenting teens was being released.

Once again, Leman takes parents through the wonderful world of parenting teens and gives fantastic ideas for dealing with the typical discipline problems that are bound to arise with this wonderful stage of parenting.

Leman uses humor to help parents with all kinds of issues, as seen in the A to Z section of the book. This was by far my favorite part of the book, as it covers something for everyone. It is current in mentioning more complex, current issues too like eating disorders, drugs and alcohol, self esteem, messy rooms, texting and more.

In a well organized, well written and easy to read book, you will be encouraged as you parent children in the Tween and Teen stages of life. For younger children, definitely check out Have A New Kid By Friday, and check out some of his video clips on YouTube as well.

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

Dr.Kevin Leman has practical steps to parenting that WORK. He offers effective ways to parent and get the response you want in this case from your teen. I've realized again in most cases its us the parent that needs the training! LOVE the A-Z Ask Dr.Leman Game Plans that really work in the Teen book. Definitely a must read for parents with any kids over 11!!
I would recommend as well Making Your Children Mind Without Losing Yours ~ for parents with younger kids. Sheet Music and Sex Begins in the Kitchen for Marrieds. Really any book that you pick up of his is not only funny and enjoyable but a great learning tool as well.

Have a New Teenager by Friday is chock-full of common-sense, practical wisdom that manages to keep your attention at the same time. I greatly enjoyed Dr. Leman's writing style, and the anecdotes contained in the book, such as in the "It worked for me" sections, were interesting and insightful. It is a book that I plan on revisiting numerous times in the future, and I truly believe that parents of teenagers and pre-teens will benefit from reading this book. The latter half of the book, which contains 75 topic areas on everything from texting to pregnancy to mouthing off, is particularly useful, as is the index in the back that lets you quickly look up a subject should you need to consult the book on a certain matter. The material throughout the book is incredibly relevant to the current generation of teens, and acknowledges that they are facing a world very different than the one their parents grew up in.

One comment I want to make on the book is the claim of having a new teen in only 5 days. While I do not doubt that such change is possible, some families have very complex histories, and issues like abuse or divorce or mental illness are so pervasive that quick change may not always be possible. Regardless, I do believe that the advice contained in the book is useful and timely, and parents should strongly consider adding this book to their "must read" list. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.