Here’s a couple excerpts:“Why so much attention to keeping your teen’s heart? Because from it flows the issues of life. The heart of a teen is a special place to be invited into. Around the teen years, our children become much more aware of the changes they are experiencing, and many of these changes scare them. They crave having someone to talk to. They want to know they can trust you with their deepest fears. They must be certain that you will not mock them, make light of their feelings, or try to fix everything. When you have their heart, you have influence. Even if they don’t agree with you, they know you love them and want what’s best for them. This provides the security they desperately need to grow and mature into the person God crated them to be.” **Note from (Amy’s) experience: she is correct, they crave having someone to talk to. And if your kids don’t talk to you, they’ll find someone else to talk to. And that person or that group of people will have your teen’s heart, not you. “Parents forget that teens need a little extra time and attention. Too often, we rely on our successful parenting during the younger years to carry us through the teen years. While our parenting laid a strong foundation when the children were younger, that work doesn’t end when we reach the teen years. The message many parents hear (and some believe) is to step aside and let teens figure out life on their own. Or, like Mark, they think that it’s just a phase they’ll outgrow. But the opposite is true. Good parenting doesn’t always equal easy parenting during the teen years.”
The other book releasing on April 2nd is this gem that I HAVE gotten an early peek at….and why should you read it? Emily said it best when she stated “Whether you are in the midst of a major life transition or if you simply suffer from the low-grade anxiety that daily life can sometimes bring, you always have decisions to make, big or small. As long as we live, we’ll be making decisions. Like you, I want to make good ones. If you’re facing something and you don’t know where to start, maybe doing the next right thing will be a welcome beginning.” Each chapter ends with a prayer and a ‘practice’ – aka, an action to take or a question to answer. Emily has preorder bonuses that are valued at $129, including an audiobook version, an online course, and behind the scenes interviews. Take your order number to http://nextrightthingbook.com/ to claim your bonuses before April 2nd.
Amy