Hope for Parents of Troubled Teens: A Practical Guide to Getting Them Back on Track
Connie Rae
Bethany House, 2012, 224 pp., $12.99
When Christian parents seek help for their teenagers, they often don’t want to regard their teens as troubled; but Connie Rae, in her excellent parenting book, puts this stigma to rest as she has her own personal experience and professional counseling expertise from which to draw. She doesn’t shy away from the tough questions, and begins by helping parents understand themselves, their teenagers’ culture, and the many factors that are at play in the parent-child relationship.
This book has a traditional approach and feel to it, but in the end doesn’t rely on platitudes or quick fixes to help parents. In fact, in its essence the approach is centered on building better communication techniques and invites parents at various junctures not only to pray, but to work on practical methods that can help parent and teen build better rapport and understanding.
The book would be most helpful to those parents who are struggling with a child’s addiction, sexuality or rebellion; but the questions offered at the end of each section are more than thought-provoking. They are, as the title suggests, practical ways to begin the process of better parenting.
