Teen Health Books

I've made no secret of the fact that I was a teenage mom, and having a son when I was 17 has colored every aspect of my life. I wish that I had had this book to read 17 years ago. Discovering you are pregnant as a teenager brings feelings of guilt, shame, and like your life is over. But Brignoni, herself a former pregnant teen, brings home to girls everywhere by reminding them that while being pregnant changes things, it isn't the end of their life. She encourages them to change their attitude and look at life with hope for the future, because if they don't have help for themselves, no one else will. She has several different exercises to invite pregnant teens to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and plans for the future, as well as make a map on how to bring those plans to fruition. My only concern about the book is that it has a little bit of The Secret type theology to it: send good thoughts out into the universe so they can return to you. Other than that, I really enjoyed reading this book. It's a quick read, but filled with a great deal of hard earned wisdom about not giving up and creating a good life for you and your child. I give the book 4-1/2 stars.

Accessibly written by yoga practitioner Ellen Schwartz, I Love Yoga: A Guide For Kids And Teens presents basic information about the history and present-day practice of yoga for flexibility, fitness, good health and great fun. Nicely illustrated by Ben Hodson and especially intended for young readers and offering straightforward instructions for learning basic poses, I Love Yoga is an excellent and recommended introduction to the practice of yoga for young readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Make Things Happen is a great book for anyone who is looking to expand their opportunities in their career pathway. This book clarifies the meaning of networking and helps teens better understand how they can help themselves and their future. After reading the book myself, I got a more detailed look at what to expect from the real world. Make Things Happen includes loads and loads of different sources for teens to contact people to help them with their futures and to research information on how they can help themselves become better networkers. I would suggest this book to any teen, whether it seems interesting to them or not. This book is a great way to show adolescents (or anyone for that matter) better ways of networking and increasing their ability to work well in the real world. From determing your interests and dreams to writing resumes and cover letters, Make Things Happen gives you a great perspective on how you can improve your networking skills and yourself as a person in general.

In "Making Sexual Decisions", Dr. Gowen has created a guidebook for teens that is at the same time smart, informative and easily accessible to teens. Dr. Gowen tackles these tough issues with candor and sensitivity. "Making Sexual Decisions" provides the information teens need to be empowered to make their own smart, safe decisions about sexuality. Adults, as well, can take a lesson from Dr. Gowen about how to effectively talk to teens about sexuality.

Purchase this book for Christmas or Kwanzaa gift-giving. Ms. Henry outlines proper attire, makeup, and education planning. This book is an easy read, and can be used in a high school curriculum. Most of the information on proper attire is focused toward young ladies. In my opinion, these suggestions cannot continue to "go without saying". Congratulations, Robin Henry on an outstanding publication!

AWB

The Nutrition Fitness Link is a really good book!! For anyone who is concerned about their body or weight, you should read this book to find out more!! I think it's more for teens or young women. You don't even have to be concerned about your weight, its just a great book to read! I think if you are a teenager, you should go get this book and read it for yourself. Again, its a really good book!

I found the feminist and socio-cultural perspective to be refreshing and many times missing from other research on this topic. The questionnaires, surveys, and powerful graphics open the door to extraordinary discussions. I also like how the author welcomes and includes parent participation. What a fabulous and desparately needed text.

This book is an outstanding resource for parents, counselors, pastors, or anyone who works with parents and youth. I first read, "Raising them Chaste" seven years ago and it is an often used reference because it is outstanding in both form and substance.

Our world has reached a place where Abstinence has been redefined as anything but intercourse. Parents and teens aren't talking about the intricacies and intimacies of young life. This lack of communication leaves organizations like Planned Parenthood and Hollywood in the role of educator in the vital areas of relationships, marriage, sexuality, moral values, STD's, the role of spirituality and responsible behavior.

The Power of the Key Talk, which teaches young people about making a binding Covenant with God and their future spouse, can't be described. Showing the role of the ring as a symbol of that covenant during teenage years lays a wonderful foundation for the future. Most importantly, reconnecting the parents and children in one of the highest forms of "Quality time" imaginable will create a Kodak Moment in the heart of both parent and child.

The Durfields are a blessing to all who want to see a Godly perspective supported by academic wisdom and testimonials from teens themselves. You will be blessed for years to come by Raising Them Chaste.

....if you take this gem of a book to bed with you.

France loses a war. Paris is surrounded by the Prussian army. The government decamps to Versailles and agrees to a hobbling peace treaty with the enemy. The besieged Parisians refuse to accept defeat. They send up reconnaissance balloons and eat all the animals in the zoo. They set up their own Commune authority and declare war on the French government. Their Commune government quickly degenerates into madness, Lord of the Flies-style, murdering the archbishop, much of the clergy, and many others denounced as politically suspect.

An episode far more murderous and traumatic than the Reign of Terror or the Occupation of the 1940s, and still deeply cherished, feared and argued about in France to this day.

(...)
This is by far the best book I have ever seen on this subject.

As a psychologist with many years of experience treating "out of control" adolescents and their overwhelmed parents, I can attest to the monumental challenges faced by the therapists who treat them. It is extremely difficult for a therapist to not fall into the same helplessness suffered by the parents of severely defiant children, when intervention after intervention fails--as they usually do with "traditional" approaches.

This book offers a highly structured group program for these parents and provides the therapist with an incredibly detailed "instruction manual" for running the group session-by-session. Like the 1-2-3 Magic program that is so effective for younger children, the clear and relatively "simple" principles that make this program so workable for parents belie its underlying psychological sophistication. While the program appeals to parents on a common-sense basis, the well-educated therapist will appreciate the fact that it is informed by mountains of professional knowlege. Although considerable education is delivered in the process, the program's focus is on developing effective parenting skills rather than insight (which is of so little use with kids who are truly "out of control".)

Is this program fool-proof? Of course not. It is best used by people who are comfortable taking a directive--though necessarily supportive--posture with clients . . . something the classroom format makes much more natural. Is this an equally good self-help book? No way. Should this program be used only by trained mental health professionals or, as the authors suggest, can it be equally effective in the hands of teachers and others experienced in this area? I'm not sure what to say about this one--it makes sense that it could, and surely a skilled layperson would use it far more effectively than an *inept* mental health professional; for that matter, a skilled layperson would surely be just as effective as a skilled mental health professional. Probably the best I can say is that I would not recommend it to just anyone and everyone who has an interest in helping parents and kids. These kids and parents are real tough customers. I can say, however, that anyone who already deals with this group would be much better equiped for the job with this program.

Having a thorough understanding of the subject, and a great deal of experience with this population, I have to admit that I wish I had thought of this program myself. If it were mine, I'd double or triple the price (after all, it comes with parent workbooks), and offer a money-back guarantee. There would be very few--if any--returns.