If you are currently living with a female human between the ages of 12-19, and feel as though you are living with an alien at best, or a demon at worst, you’re not alone.
The teenage years are a confusing time for parents. Where once was a happy and engaging girl now stands an eye-rolling, sullen teen. Where once stood a child who you had absolute control over, now stands a budding individual who wants to call her own shots.
This call of independence is normal, but it can be absolutely frightening to parents when the consequences of getting it wrong–drugs, eating disorders, teen pregnancies–become a bigger deal. Even though we navigated through that time (which seems like a long time ago), we’re reluctant to give the reins to our kids because the stakes seem so high and their behaviour so immature that we can’t believe they can actually get it right.
Enter Dr. Lisa Damour PhD and her book Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood.
This highly accessible book puts into plain and easy to understand language the normal behaviour of the teenage girl, and gives parents a real understanding of what is really going on behind those closed bedroom doors and those vacant, rolling eyes.
This book is a must read for any parent dealing with teen girls. Not only will it give context to the behaviour that makes you want to pull your hair out, but it offers solid advice on how to effectively engage with your daughter, when it’s time to worry, and what to do about it.
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood