Parenting Teens

    I have heard the phrase “Little kids, little problems. Big kids, …” Prepare to answer hard questions about your teenager and yourself with these titles.

The Price of Privilege by Madeline Levine (Harper Collins). Levine, a clinical psychologist, has been practicing for 25 years. She recently noticed a change in the characteristics of her clients. This new breed of unhappy teenager is bright, well-dressed and affluent. From the outside, they look like they have their act together. But Levine has uncovered some startling information inside a child who has many advantages. If life is too easy, the work of discovering yourself somehow gets lost - - which is devastating to our children.

So Sexy, So Soon by Diane Levin and Jean Kilbourn (Random House). Levin is a professor of education and Kilbourn has been a pioneer on the effects of advertising, including tobacco and alcohol and the image of women in advertising. These experts provide an insightful look into the commercialization of sex, starting at the most tender years. The book is not intended solely for the parents of girls. Suggestions arm parents with the information and discussion points to address the charged topic of sex openly so that kids can just be kids. You would be surprised at how early this begins.

Acceptance: A Legendary Guidance Counselor Helps Seven Kids Find the Right Colleges – and Find Themselves, by David L. Marcus (Penguin). Highly recommended because of the caliber of writing and the subject of Gwyeth Smith, an unorthodox guidance counselor from Long Island’s Oyster Bay High School. “Smitty” focuses not on the excessive information on colleges, but instead on the student, asking deep and personal questions, finding the “right” match for the individual. A refreshing change from the jockeying game of college admissions. This should be required reading for the parents of high school freshmen.

How to Hug a Porcupine: Negotiating the Prickly Points of the Tween Years by Julie Ross (McGraw Hill). How can anyone translate what is going on in your teenager’s brain? Ross takes a shot at preparing your child for the real world. Issue by issue, including defiance, nagging, peer pressure, self-esteem, independence and more, Ross addresses the balance of freedom and responsibility that continues to rage between parents and tweens. It is the relationship that takes center stage, and the influence that comes from it.

Life Strategies for Dealing with Bullies, by Jay McGraw, illus. by Steve Bjorkman (Simon & Schuster). Bullying is a big topic in schools, with the added layer of social network and texting bullying. McGraw, the son of Dr. Phil, takes a look at the current problem and relates it to issues found at any age in life. Practical, humorous and full of examples, this one is worth a peek.

Once a teen, Julie Hubble now resides in Leawood.