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PARENTING YOUR OUT-OF-CONTROL
TEENAGER: 7 STEPS TO REESTABLISH AUTHORITY
AND RECLAIM LOVE
By: Scott P. Sells
Savannah, Georgia
St. Martin's Press, NY, NY
Reviewed by: Anita Biase Emilyrose2342000@yahoo.com
Is your family life in chaos because of a rebellious teenager?
You are not alone. Many families are dealing with teens with
serious behavior problems. If you need help coping, Scott
Sells provides a road map for parents of troubled teens in
his book Parenting Your Out-Of-Control Teenager: 7 Steps to
Reestablish Authority and Reclaim Love. Dr. Sells provides
seven steps to positive, permanent change for you and your
teenager.
The author describes many of the underlying causes of teen
misbehavior, how to make a contract without loopholes, ways
to prevent the problems from recurring in the future, how
and when to enlist outside help and how to mend the rifts
in your family unit. If you want to learn how to rein-in your
out-of-control teenager, follow the step-by-step lessons and
workbook exercises offered in the book.
In this book, the author states he believes that almost every
teenager rebels and flaunts authority by talking back to parents,
staying out too late at night and generally ignoring household
rules. However in many cases, teens carry their rebelliousness
too far and substance abuse, truancy, and threats of suicide
put the teen's future in peril and disrupts the family unit.
Parents seek help and their search often yields yards of pat
solutions and well-intentioned, but confusing advice.
Dr. Sells outlines a plan of attack to help solve many possible
scenarios that a parent might confront when raising a teenager,
as well as a list of consequences for each. He asserts that
these interventions and consequences will help stop the rebellious
and negative behaviors, but it is up to you, the parent, to
follow his recommendations. The author warns that if the methods
in the book don't work, it is time to seek outside help. Dr.
Sells' fundamental belief is that parents are still the biggest
influence in a child's life, but times have changed and the
old rules of parenting are obsolete and must also change.
The author also describes the possible roadblocks parents
may encounter and suggests detours for each one. I recommend
this book to parents, counselors and therapists. Dr. Sells
provides insight, understanding and practical suggestions
for dealing with real-life problems while providing the family
with the key to a better future.
About the Author:
[Dr. Scott P. Sells is Associate Professor of Social Work
at Savannah State University and clinical director of the
Savannah Family Institute in Georgia. He is also the author
of “Treating the Tough Adolescent: A Family-Based, Step-by
Step Guide.” “Parenting Your Out-Of-Control Teenager: 7 Steps
To Reestablish Authority and Reclaim Love” was published in
October, 2002. To purchase this book through Amazon.com simply
click the Amazon link on www.strugglingteens.com
and search their site with this ISBN: 0312303017, number.]
Copyright © 2005, Woodbury
Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced without prior
approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and
author attribution accompanies the copy.)
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