Key strategies for parents of teens in the crucial window before that "launch" into the real world. Learn how to set them up for success through effective communication, valuing and cultivating their unique strengths, and empowering versus control. Help your teens build a strong personal leadership foundation that will enable them to live successful, independent lives of purpose, integrity, and impact.
From an expert in adolescent psychology comes a groundbreaking, timely, and necessary guide for parents of the 2.2 million young adults in America who are struggling to find their way in the world. In Dr. Mark McConville's decades of experience as a family clinical psychologist, perhaps no problem has been more fraught than that of young adults who fail to successfully transition from adolescence into adulthood. These kids--technically adults--just can't get it together: They can't hold a job, they struggle to develop meaningful relationships, and they often end up back in their parents' spare bedroom or on the couch. In fact, studies show that one in four Americans aged twenty-five to thirty-four neither work nor attend school, and it's a problem that spans all socioeconomic and geographic boundaries. McConville investigates the root causes of this problem: Why are modern kids "failing to launch" in ever-increasing numbers? The key, McConville has found, is that they are struggling with three critical skills that are necessary to make the transition from childhood to adulthood--finding a sense of purpose, developing administrative responsibility, and cultivating interdependence. In Failure to Launch, McConville breaks these down into achievable, accessible goals and offers a practical guide for the whole family, to help parents instill those skills in their young adults--and to get their kids into the real world, ready to start their lives.
Signs are everywhere that young adults are struggling after they leave home, and parents are grappling with the practical and emotional demands of letting go and preparing them for independence. Wings Not Strings: Parenting Strategies to Let Go with Confidence surveys today's young adult landscape and offers empowering parenting solutions to: let go naturally and confidently, face and overcome their fears, build vital leadership and life skills in their children, and position for a thriving adult-to-adult relationship. By strategically parenting with a vision of releasing an eagle to soar rather than a kite to control--giving them wings, not strings--readers are equipped to raise well-prepared, self-confident children poised to fulfill their dreams.
Offers advice to teens designed to help them make wise choices as they move into adulthood, challenging them to think about the purpose of their lives, their passion, gifts, and goals, with discussion of character, relationships, career selection, spiritual life, handling adversity, finances, and other topics.
This timely study explores the experiences of fathers who take on equal or primary care responsibilities for young children. Offering academic insight and practical recommendations, this will be key reading for researchers, policymakers, practitioners and students interested in contemporary families.
Offers parents tools for ensuring their young adults are independent, self sufficient, and well-informed so that they can discuss contentious subjects, make sound decisions, and find effective solutions to problems.
What prenatal tests and down syndrome reveal about our reproductive choices When Alison Piepmeier—scholar of feminism and disability studies, and mother of Maybelle, an eight-year-old girl with Down syndrome—died of cancer in August 2016, she left behind an important unfinished manuscript about motherhood, prenatal testing, and disability. In Unexpected, George Estreich and Rachel Adams pick up where she left off, honoring the important research of their friend and colleague, as well as adding new perspectives to her work. Based on interviews with parents of children with Down syndrome, as well as women who terminated their pregnancies because their fetus was identified as having the condition, Unexpected paints an intimate, nuanced picture of reproductive choice in today’s world. Piepmeier takes us inside her own daughter’s life, showing how Down syndrome is misunderstood, stigmatized, and condemned, particularly in the context of prenatal testing. At a time when medical technology is rapidly advancing, Unexpected provides a much-needed perspective on our complex, and frequently troubling, understanding of Down syndrome.
It's no secret that parenting is tricky business. With advice flooding in from all sides, strong-willed children pushing against boundaries, and our own human flaws, it's easy to get bogged down in every how-to that we're not doing well. But maybe that isn't the right approach. Maybe the first step is not to ask "how" but to ask "why." Like most parents, when Shelly Wildman had children, she consulted books, sermons, and lectures on how to raise the best children possible. Yet every resource focused on how to get external results: children who behave the way others expected them to. For Shelly and her husband, the turning point happened when they started asking why instead--shifting their focus to internal change. That's when their purpose as parents became clear: parents are called to do their best to show kids how to know and love Jesus, to love others, and to make a difference in the world. There are no rules here, no inflexible series of steps that lead to perfect parenting. Instead, Shelly encourages parents to think about their unique family and why each child's needs for spiritual growth might look different. She walks you through intentional questioning, focusing on building a firm foundation for lasting discipleship. And in the end, you'll discover that God wants the same outcome you do: a child who knows Christ intimately, loves him deeply, and has a heart to serve him fully.
It’s time to say NO to trying to fit square-peg kids into rounds holes, and YES to raising them from a place of acceptance and joy. Today millions of kids are stuck in a world that doesn’t embrace who they really are. They are the one in five “differently wired” children with ADHD, dyslexia, giftedness, autism, anxiety, or other neurodifferences, and their challenges are many. And for the parents who love them, the challenges are just as numerous, as they struggle to find the right school, the right support, the right path. But now there’s hope. Differently Wired is a revolutionary book—weaving together personal stories and a tool kit of expert advice from author Deborah Reber, it’s a how-to, a manifesto, and a reassuring companion for parents who can so often feel that they have no place to turn. At the heart of Differently Wired are 18 paradigm-shifting ideas—what the author calls “tilts,” which include how to accept and lean in to your role as a parent (#2: Get Out of Isolation and Connect). Deal with the challenges of parenting a differently wired child (#5: Parent from a Place of Possibility Instead of Fear). Support yourself (#11: Let Go of Your Impossible Expectations for Who You “Should” Be as a Parent). And seek community (#18: If It Doesn’t Exist, Create It). Taken together, it’s a lifesaving program to shift our thinking and actions in a way that not only improves the family dynamic, but also allows children to fully realize their best selves. “In this generous and urgent book, Deborah Reber lets the light in. She helps parents see that they’re not alone, and even better, delivers a positive action plan that will change lives.”—Seth Godin, author of Linchpin “Differently Wired will help parents of children who think differently to accept their child for who they are and facilitate their successful development.”—Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures and The Autistic Brain
Help your daughter become her best, well-rounded self. Raising a girl is complicated. Empowerment messages and incredible achievements are everywhere, yet poor self-esteem, peer pressure, and fear of failure are very real threats. This essential parenting guide shows you the seven most common issues holding girls back from reaching their full potential. Inside the pages of this inspirational parenting book, you’ll discover: • Action plans for seven key areas of your daughter’s social, emotional and mental health. • Guided dialogues with customizable options to make them age-appropriate. • Practical parenting tips for raising a girl. • Inspirational accounts from famous moms, dads and daughters. Does your beautiful, talented daughter tell you she’s ugly and useless? Would she rather stay alone in her room, scrolling her phone, than join you on a family day out? This parenting reference book highlights all signs that your daughter is struggling to cope with the demands of modern life. Follow the practical parenting advice to help your wonderful girl see how great she is already and how much greater she can become! Packed with 7 age-appropriate action plans, parenting advice and guided conversation starters, Rise of the Girl will give you the tools you need to guide your daughter through this challenging world and prepare them for amazing adulthood. It’s the perfect parenting book for girl moms and dads raising confident, resilient and powerful women!
