Parenting Teens

As the mom to two (TWO! How did that happen?) teenagers and one rapidly entering that ‘tween’ stage (groan), I’m right smack dab in the middle of “OMG Life is so HARD” land. And it is hard - being a teenager, that is. You want all the independence you think you deserve, yet you still want the safety net of knowing Mom and Dad can and will rescue you if you mess up. It’s a constant struggle between doing what you want, vs. what you need to do/we want you to do.

It’s the epitome of “Life sucks.”

I’m not a big fan of self-help books, of meetings and groups, or people telling me how to do things that I know I should be doing but don’t want to do. I know, it makes me sound like a teenager, doesn’t it, in all my petulant glory, and why is she writing this blog then anyway, right? But it doesn’t mean that I don’t like to help when I can, or just talk and present anther view, or even listen when someone needs a shoulder to lean on.

That’s why I like the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series. Their real stories, of hard times and happy endings. I’m a happy ending type of girl, after all. There’s always something in there that reaches out and grabs you, and reminds you that you’re not alone. They are easy reading, they don’t slam solutions at you, they’re written by real people talking about things that happened to them, and let you come up with your own solutions in your own time.

All this to say that when Phenix & Phenix approached me and asked if I’d like to host a giveaway for the Teen Talk Series of Chicken Soup for the Soul® - I jumped at the chance! That’s how I ended up with four books in my hot little hands: Teens Talk Relationships, Teens Talk Tough Times, Teens Talk Growing Up, and Preteens Talk. And while they are in my hands right now? I want to deliver them to YOU, instead of keeping them all for myself. (mine mine mine! …wait. ok. yours.)

So, in the interest of easy contests, here’s what we’re gonna do. Every comment that you leave on this entry, will enter you into a random drawing for one of the four books. You don’t have to say anything profound in your comment (ME ME PICK ME! works..), or flatter me endlessly (though you know what they say about that…) but if you’d like to leave a little tidbit about your life with a teenager, or being a teen, or ask me questions about me and mine, please do!

I’ll leave the comments open for a week - starting today, September 18 through next Thursday, September 25th, at midnight Alaskan time. (That’s PST -1). The following Friday, September 26th, I’ll use good old Random.org to choose the winners. First drawn gets their choice of the four, second the choice of three, third the choice of two, and fourth gets the last book. I’ll then ask the winners for their choices, their addresses, and send the books.

After the cut, you can read more about the individual books, to help you make your decision on which you might want to choose if you win. So comment away! Tell your friends, spread the word, and join in! It’s a Parenting Teens Comment Party!

Here is more information about the books themselves:

All sections in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Preteens Talk present easy-to-read, practical anecdotes on topics ranging from the popularity game to young love. “I was six years old when I experienced my first heartbreak,” writes Ashleigh Dumas, who made a gift for an older boy she had a crush on – only to have him laugh at it. “Forget about Matthew. He doesn’t deserve you!” assured her grandfather, restoring the pluck and self-assurance she needed.

As the “tween” demographic becomes increasingly defined by their wants and interests, it is easy to forget about their needs. Through stories and poems, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Preteens Talks reveals to young readers the problems and issues of kids just like them, and is designed to offer them support and encouragement as they navigate life’s new terrain. Through this new title from Chicken Soup for the Soul®, young readers will not only have a reason to get excited about reading, but will hear from other preteens who have “been there, done that.”

Inside Chicken Soup for the Soul: Preteens Talk, you’ll also read about:
• How heavyweight boxing champ Lennox Lewis channeled his youthful angst into a career
• Why Jennifer Stevens always brings M&Ms with her to a funeral
• How Andrea Adair accidentally burped during her first kiss
• How Nikki Yargar overcame a dangerous eating disorder

Chicken Soup for the Soul 101 Best: Teens Talk Relationships
Editors: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Amy Newmark
About: Being a teenager is hard. Old friends drift away; new friends come with new issues, teens fall in and out of love, and relationships with family members change. This book supports and inspires teenagers, reminding them they are not alone as they read stories written by other teens just like
themselves, about the problems and issues they face every day. This book contains the 101 best stories for teens from past Chicken Soup books, stories written by teens about friends, family, love, loss, and many lessons learned.

With topics ranging from “Overcoming Obstacles” to “Reaching for the Stars,” Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Growing Up inspires and supports teen readers as they face personal challenges, new loves and heartbreak, looming college applications and everything else that comes with the adolescent years. In addition, it is an excellent conversation-starter for parents preparing to have tough conversations with their children, on everything from body image, to peer pressure, dating, and more.

Adolescence is a difficult time period for everyone, but Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Growing Up ensures that teen readers have other kids to turn to for support.

Inside Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Growing Up, you’ll read about:
• How Katelynn Wilton went from overweight couch potato to varsity swim team record-breaker
• Why Dallas Woodburn started a school-wide petition to release a classmate from suspension
• How a gang-ridden L.A. high school turned a community garden into a national business venture
• Why teenage runaway Calvin Louis Fudge decided to return home to his family

In Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Tough Times, teens open up about a variety of personal issues, ranging from eating disorders to substance abuse. And while the book is aimed at adolescents, its lessons are relevant to anyone involved in the life of a teenager, be they a parent, student, or peer.

“Everyone can identify with the need to fit in,” says Elisa Donovan, who comes forward in her story “Already Perfect” to talk about her dangerous eating disorder. “Each one of us struggles with self-esteem and self-worth to some degree. I spent much of my time striving to achieve perfection in every aspect of my life. What I did not realize was that in my desperate need to be perfect, I sacrificed the very body and mind that allowed me to live.”

With candid stories like Donovan’s above, ranging from self-image, personal loss, broken relationships and more, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Tough Times aims to help teens support themselves and learn about what their friends might be experiencing.

Inside Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Tough Times, you’ll also read about:
• Author’s Anne Schraff’s road trip with her 86-year old mother
• How working mom Cynthia Briche accidentally packed her daughter a can of beer for lunch
• How single mom Barbara Stanley learned to laugh in the face of divorce, an eviction notice, and a lost job
• Why author Linda Stafford gave her son a pet potato, instead of a puppy
• Tips from Bonnie West on how to enjoy your empty nest, once the kids leave for college

So what are you waiting for? Start commenting!

ETA: Comments are now closed. Stay tuned for the announcement of the winners!