The Stranger In Your House

We all know that as teens grow and mature, they become different then the children we have seen growing up beside us through the years of watching them grow into adults. But how do you know what is normal and what should cause you some concern as a parent of teens, whether your own or simply teens you may be involved with. When does a parent need to intervene and possibly seek professional help?

In the latest book, When Your Teenager Becomes...The Stranger In Your House by Gregory L. Jantz, Phd, along with Ann McMurray, and being a parent of both an 18 year old and a 12 year old, I knew I had to pick this one up. There is such insight into parenting for teens and preteens alike I had never considered and keeping the thoughts of "well, I remember when I was a teen..." just don't cut it raising them today.

In today's generation of teens, there is so much more influencing them than ever before and that's why we can't parent them the same as we think they should be if we expect them to grow into the adults we hope to be proud of. Some of the topics you will find handy include the following:

Why does my teenager seem to need me some days and hate me other days?

How do hormones affect my teen's behavior - and what can I do about it?

Is this "just a phase," or is it clinical depression?

How can I get help when I see the warning signs of suicidal thoughts?

How can I be a source of peace in my child's life, especially when I feel stormy too?

This book will help you as a parent to see beyond the closed-room years of adolescence and open the door to hope.

My favorite chapter was on what's called shedding skin. When a snake or lizard sheds its skin, the new growing skin cells separate from the old established skin cells, causing a marked change of appearance and producing an irritability that can result in increased snapping and hissing. Of course, reptiles shed their skin relatively quickly, so the analogy doesn't carry too far. Still, I think it's fairly parallel. Your teenager's nascent adult is separating from the confinement of childhood, causing a marked change in appearance and producing an irritability that can result in increased snapping and hissing. I think it's why teens often feel like their skin in crawling and fight against a sensation of being confined, wanting to burst free. And it's why parents often look at their teens as though they're something that just crawled out from under a rock. It even gives the reader what signs to look for and what to be concerned with.

I received this book compliments of B & B Media Group and David C. Cook publishers for my honest review and really think that anyone who interacts with teens or has teens as a parent, need to pick up this wonderful and insightful resource. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and will be referring to this one often as a reminder, I am not crazy and these things are normal. It also stands as a resource to know when to look further into situations that my kids are involved with when it comes to their friends as well.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Stranger In Your House by Gregory L. Jantz, PhD with Ann McMurray

You can also visit a Place of Hope for other teen issues.

It's Your Kid, Not A Gerbil - Giveaway and Review

Finally a great parenting book that is relevant to this generation of both parents and kids that make sense from a Christian perspective. Both my husband and I enjoyed reading chapters of this to one another considering some new alternatives to problems that impact our family's.

Do activities rule your family? Do you have a superkid - or a super-stressed kid? Does your busyness keep you from leaving the indelible imprint you long to have on your child's life? Does next week's schedule leave you exhausted at the mere thought of it?

Most kids today can text faster than a woodpecker with ADHD. But do they have the relational skills that will bring them ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment? In It's Your Kid, Not A Gerbil, internationally known family expert and father of five Dr. Kevin Leman reveals the secrets to:

• battling the 'busy hands are happy hands' myth

• choosing activities wisely

• creating an atmosphere you kids will love to come home to

• capturing your child's heart...for a lifetime

Isn't it time to trade in the stress-filled SUV miles for peace-filled hours? The result will be happier, more confident and secure children...and a less-stressed you.

If you feel like me and at times feel like you've reached the end of your rope in how to deal with your kids, from school issues, homework, friends, social issues, technology challenges, and even how to balance it all from work to family time, then trust me, this IS the book for you. The best part is you can just dive right on in. Pick something that is relevant for you and your situation and see what the options are.

We loved the chapter dedicated to balancing work and family and it really hit home for us. The best part is defining what everything is worth considering the cost. To us, since the time with the kids are so limited, we have vowed to do everything we can to show them how important they are to us and even in looking back, we can see our kids greatest memories are the ones that showed we took time out for them, not how much money we spent. That is priceless.

I received this book compliments of Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review and I can't wait to share this book with you. Highly recommended at 5 out of 5 stars and a must for any family to cope with the parenting techniques this generation needs to keep our kids happy, balanced and respected among their peers. Ready to get off the wheel?

For more information on this book, the author, and where to purchase a copy of this, please click on the links below:

It's Your Kid, Not A Gerbil by Dr. Kevin Leman

Thanks to the generous folks at Tyndale House publishers, they have provided me with a giveaway certificate for one lucky reader of this blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here's all you need to do to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes!!

3. I need a way to contact you so please be sure to include your email address along with your comment telling me why you need this book! You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on October 10th, and I will notify the winner by email at that time.

Great Parents, Lousy Lovers

How many parents out there would say that their parenting skills far supercede their intimacy ones between spouses?

I know we all think that we need to address our kids needs, which if you really think about it, take almost all the time we are given in the course of the day, less our sleep time, but then again if you've got a newborn or a sick child, even night times aren't off limits.

This book from Dr. Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham, called Great Parents, Lousy Lovers shows just how far most married couples with children fall away from making time to restore the intimacy and couple time we all had, before our children were born. Not only that they show you the perfect ways to go about reclaiming that time, without neglecting our children.

Here's an excerpt explaining even more directly from the back cover:

"You love your kids...but where did the intimacy go?

From changing diapers to playing chauffeur, it's easy to spend so much time and energy on your kids that at the end of a long, exhausting day, you have nothing left for your spouse. Too often, being a parent comes at the expense of having a great marriage.

The authors of this amazing book will show you that it is possible to be a great parent and a great lover. This book will help you and your spouse to begin reinvesting in your marriage - not just your children - because the best foundation for great parenting is a happy, healthy marriage.

Filled with wit, wisdom, and practical advice, this book will help you move from a frustrating, fatiguing, out-of-balance, kid-centered marriage to a strong, life-giving, fulfilling, couple-centered relationship."

Isn't it about time to begin enjoying your spouse again and bring peace and balance to your life?

I received this book compliments of Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review, and can tell you what a great resource this would make for first time parents or those that are in the process of having kids to help them maintain balance and love in their marriage. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and a definite must read for any parent or even as a resource for Christian counseling.

For more information on the book, the authors and where to purchase a copy, click on the title of the book directly below:

Great Parents, Lousy Lovers