Product Description: With more than 100,000 copies sold, Michael Riera’s UNCOMMON SENSE FOR PARENTS WITH TEENAGERS has ushered countless families through the trying years of adolescence. Offering a fresh interpretation of the teen years, Riera asserts that this period of a child’s growth is too often misunderstood as a phase to be dreaded instead of enjoyed. In this fully revised and updated edition, Riera tackles some of the newest issues facing parents and teens—text messaging and the Internet, changing driver’s license requirements, fad diets and exercise—and gives a second look to the old standbys—alcohol and drugs, academics, sex and dating, sports and extracurricular activities, eating disorders, making friends, single parenting, divorce, and more. Beginning with overviews of the parent-teenager relationship, the adolescent world, and high school, the bulk of the book comprises a series of responses to questions commonly asked by parents. Based on his 19 years as a teacher, counselor, dean of students, and parent, Riera recommends some unexpected—and ultimately successful—approaches, like "Communicate indirectly," "Let your teenager brood," and "Resist giving advice, even when your teenager asks for it." With a rare appreciation for this special developmental stage of life and an unpatronizing approach to teenagers, UNCOMMON SENSE FOR PARENTS WITH TEENAGERS is a beacon of optimism and hope for confused and wearied families everywhere.
Amazon.com Review: Michael Riera is the high school counselor many of us wish we'd had: he's smart, non-judgmental, and respectful of kids. This excellent book is chock full o' advice for parents that sometimes goes against the established grain but makes utter sense. For example, don't give advice even when asked, embrace estrangement (it's part of your teenager's development), and take a demotion and move from "manager" to "consultant." Uncommon Sense is an excellent book for any parent of an older child or teenager.
uncommon sense for parents with teenagers. Great book when it mentions common sense it sure hits the mark many parents don't always remeber what it was like to be a teenager this book helps you understand teenagers of this generation.
Read this Book Read this book and the sooner the better! Ideally you will read it by the time the kids are 12. There is value in picking the book up every so often to review the author's message. He is right on!
The book I keep going back to... An absolutely essential book for parents. Outlines the common sense approaches we forget in our rush to maintain total authority. Parenting teaches us how little absolute control we have, and that micromanaging will not produce a well-rounded adult from a challenging teenager. What we do have in abundance as parents is influence, and this book focuses on how best to assert that influence. With each new crisis, my first reaction is to try to control. My second reaction is to reach for this book and ponder the wisdom it offers in helping me to help my teenager. Of the several books in my parenting library, none approaches this book for completeness or efficacy. Thank you, Dr. Riera.
jury's still out... well, about 1/3 in to this book and while i am sure it'll have a few nuggets, i think the problem is that it comes from an indulgent perspective. Poor adolescents. They have it so tough. We can't be judgmental. We can't impose our will/beliefs/way on them. They think we're idiots. Well, there are nuggets of truth in there. But it is also the perspective of a society that has so much self doubt, is so riddled with the idiocy that my fellow baby boomers infused into our culture, that it is afraid to exercise its rights to parent. There's no reason is it different from the days I was raised - the 60's and 70's except that adolescents and their willing accomplices - teachers, media, shrinks, counselors - want it to be different. Why should a parent have authority? SURE, sure, sure, adolescents go through change. But Mr. Riera comes from a place many of us don't want to come from - Berkeley, and San Fran, and i don't think those students or teachers, or parents are exactly who we want to emulate while we are trying to keep our kids headed in the right direction. Raise an adolescent, yes. Indulge them? Ridiculous. So I am not sure this is the answer many parents are looking for (but you may want to check out Backtalk!, which might be...)
Helpful guide to living with teens This book provided excellent parenting ideas for teens. My teen is more open with my husband and I after utilizing some of the techniques outlined.
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