How to Talk to Teens About Really Important Things: Specific Questions and Answers and Useful Things to Say

Many parents dread the teen years, a time that can be filled with turmoil and experimentation. The best way for parents to get through these years? Communicate with your child. How to Talk to Teens About Really Important Things is an A-to-Z of dos and don'ts for talking with your teenager about issues as complicated as drinking, violence, ethics and moral values, depression, prejudice, homosexuality, pregnancy, and pornography--in short, the "hard" stuff. Lightly walking the line of supportive education and strong parenting (while carefully avoiding the pitfalls of judgmentalism and blanket acceptance), the authors, Charles E. Schaefer, a psychologist, and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo, an English professor, give sample answers and discussion points for parents. In general, the advice for parents stresses empathy, education, and providing safe limits for teens, but the authors are not afraid to be firm. In the "Tattoos and Body Piercing" section, for instance, they provide information for parents unfamiliar with the procedure, then suggest what to say when putting your foot down ("I want you to know that you do not have my permission to get a tattoo or to get any part of your body pierced.... You are not allowed.") Throughout the book, the authors suggest ways to use media examples to educate children, and they provide a variety of helpful resources, including books, movies, and Web sites. --Ericka Lutz