Don't Take It Personally: A Parent's Guide to Surviving Adolescence

Don't Take It Personally advocates for both parents and teenagers with an engaging style that is smart and hopeful. This book explains why teens act the way they do and why parents have yet to figure out how to reach their teenage kids. Don't Take It Personally will help you create what is most important - a positive relationship with your teenage child. John Davis' formula is simple: look inside, understand your values about everything and always keep faith in your teen and yourself. John Davis, LCSW, lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife, Jeffy, and their teenage daughter, Zoe. He has been working with teenagers and their families since 1983 helping them with all issues teen-related. John believes strongly that his clients - all people for that matter - don't need to be fixed, there is nothing broken. His work is about assisting others to imagine and create their greatest vision of themselves. It is about individuals reaching their highest potential and about families and communities coming together to support one another. In addition to his private practice, John speaks to parents around the country helping them to survive and thrive their children's adolescence. This book made me laugh out loud. It made me cry. It made me think. More than anything else, this book made me hopeful; that is, filled with hope for my relationship with my teenager, as well as for the future of parents and adolescents alike. Christopher Kranz, High School Counselor John Davis takes his understanding of adolescent development and maps it onto some of the most common and troubling parenting dilemmas. The result is a humorous, comprehensive, and very practical guide to parenting a teen. Michael R. Freedman, Ph.D., Univ. of Colorado Health Sciences Center