Tough Guys and Drama Queens...

My oldest son is quickly approaching those years that most parents dread:  the Teen Years.  There are days when I feel confident that his 'teen years' are going to be great and I'm looking forward to watching God work in his life and experiencing life with him.  Then there are the other days when I wonder 'how are we ever going to survive'?  Hence, I was very excited to have the opportunity to read and review the book, "Tough Guys and Drama Queens:  How Not to Get Blindsided by Your Child's Teen Years" by Mark Gregston.

From the back of the book:
'Parents of preteens and teens can move from scared to prepared with a new approach to parenting their adolescents. 

Parents of preteens intuitively know that no matter how good their kids are, there is turbulence ahead. Many feel lost and unprepared as they watch the damaging effects of culture collide with their child's growing pains and raging hormones.

For the past 35 years Mark Gregston has lived and worked with struggling teens and knows what it takes to reach them. He says, "A parent's success has little to do with either the validity of their words or their intent as messengers, it's more about how they approach their child and engage with them."

The book is divided into three sections:

*What's so different about today's culture *Why traditional parenting no longer works *A new model for parenting teens

Foundational and practical, and written from the crucible of experience, Tough Guys and Drama Queens answers the questions that parents are asking, helping them become the parents their children need them to be.'

The prevailing message throughout the book is this:  Relationship Relationship Relationship.
"If they don't get wisdom from you (the parents), they'll search for it somewhere else." pp.102
"It's all about relationship.  If they don't have a relationship with you, they'll have one with someone else." pp. 103

Though there was nothing completely earth-shattering in his book, Gregston, through his book, has increased the burden I have for keeping my own children's hearts, and has reminded me of the importance of intentionally building and strengthening the relationships I have w/ my children.  I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who's children are coming into the 'Tween & Teen' years.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Though I don't agree 100% with the perspective from which Gregston has written his book, it's definitely applicable to today's parenting/teen culture, and is definitely worth reading.