The Emotional Lives of Teenagers {Review}

Written by best-selling author, Lisa Damour, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers walks parents through the inner lives of todays' teenagers as they navigate the ups and downs of this transitional stage.  In the teenage years, emotions run high, leaving kids and parents both feeling anxious and overwhelmed.  

This guide helps parents:

*learn to identify what's normal and when to look for help

*understand the true definition of mental health and how to foster it

*develop the best connection strategies for reaching their teens

*and more!

I really apprecitate that Damour used real life examples and strategies both from her counseling practice and her own parenting journey.  It's refreshing to hear from an author who shares both her triumphs and her struggles in reaching teens, and what she's learned from both.  Additionally, the book hits on practical application and not just theoretical ideas.

However, this is one of those books that I had to read with some discernment.  Damour addresses some modern issues in parenting and rather than encouraging parent to guide teenagers, she asserts that parents should be open to the teenagers' leading.  This can be a concerning issue as parents generally possess life experience that could help equip teenagers and in this case is disregarded.

All in all, I found many helpful strategies and insights in The Emotional Lives of Teenagers.  The author did a great job identifying emotions and how to handle them, both in the teen's life as well as the parent's.  Her definition of mental health and how to foster it was particularly interesting and helpful.  Just read with your brain on.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.