Becoming a Mean, Teen Parenting Machine

DescriptionPraise for Becoming A Mean, Teen Parenting MachineParenting Machine gives specific tips to help parents gain greater understanding of, and empathy for, their teens—which is key to improving relationships. It also specifically addresses critical mental health issues that are devastating many of our youth. Parents are typically ill equipped to address these issues and Machine provides valuable guidance.─Jeff Dyer, Ph.D, professor, and author of the bestselling “The Innovator’s DNA.”Over the years, I’ve heard many a parent exclaim (when in the midst of a trying, difficult, or broken relationship with a teenager), “I’ve had it up to here”—and their flattened palm waves high overhead. I’ve come to think this comment misses the mark completely. More likely, they have run out of options. So, they keeping doing the same things over and over and expecting better results. In “Becoming a Mean, Teen Parenting Machine,” Wirig provides numerous techniques, steps, actions, and strategies plus powerful explanations and examples to help parents build mutual trust, show love and not just say love, and deal with the challenges of technology, anxiety, withdrawal, and anger to name a few. When parents have more tools and options, they increase their odds of having a healthy relationship with their teens.─Al Switzler– Co-author of “Crucial Conversations” and InfluencerAs a parent of four children (two of them teenagers), and as a busy general pediatrician, I can absolutely relate to many parents out there who feel lost trying to be great parents to their teenagers. Whether it is trying to communicate effectively, or being fully present in those critical moments, or even just handling the roller-coaster of emotions that teens (and parents) often feel in trying to relate together, teenagers present many challenges for parents who are literally learning on the job. Despite these challenges, parenting teenagers can be extremely fun, and exciting. Adolescence is a time of deep social and emotional learning, a time of growth, a time of fascination with the world and finding one’s place in it. All too often, in my experience, parents generally have their child’s best interest at heart, but fail to fully embrace this complex, yet wonderful window in parenting time. We often fail to understand how to relate to or communicate with our teens. And then, even with that understanding, we often fail to know how to effectively implement meaningful change into our daily parenting. That is why this book is a must read for ALL parents and care-givers. This book very simply lets you in on those crucial parenting secrets, those pearls of wisdom that will allow you to transform your parenting, to unlock, to build and to magnify your relationship with your teenager. The step-by-step tools presented in this book will help you gain the knowledge and the confidence to shape and reshape your relationship with your teenager, grounded on a foundation of trust, love, understanding, communication and respect. I absolutely loved this book because the principles taught in it are so simple and yet so profound. Now, I just have to continue to work on implementing them into my own parenting!─Tyson Jones, M.D. Board Certified Pediatrician and father of fourIn today’s busy and ever-changing world, there are many parents who feel uncertain, inadequate, or lost when it comes to raising teenagers. Having a good relationship with your teens can seem impossible.Becoming a Mean Teen Parenting Machine can change that story for your family. The tools, resources, tips, and patterns Wirig shares are game changers for relationships with teens. Concepts like understanding each individual child, becoming aware of our interactions and conversations as a family, and tools to combat the plagues of emotional and mental illness are particularly significant for families today. Katie has beautifully woven practical strategies and mindset patterns into this book with a feeling of hope and joy, not shame and guilt.This is a must-read for parents who want to have positive, long-lasting, and meaningful relationships with their children.─Katrina Seamons, Founder of Deliberatefamily.com @deliberatefamily, and mother of five.Working as a therapist with at-risk youth battling mental health issues, I realize the importance of strong families and a stable home life for them. I believe it is the hardest time in the history of mankind to be a parent. Because of this I believe that parents need a lot more resources to know how to support and connect with their kids. The Parenting Machine is such a tool. It gives parents actionable advice that, if followed, will ensure lasting results that will improve the quality of their relationships. As guardians, parents and educators implement the principles taught in this book we will see a change in the mental health of today’s youth and a stronger resolve to repair and heal problems in the home.─Stuart Squires, LCSW, Youth Crisis Worker and father of eight.The Parenting Machine draws our attention to our most important relationships, the relationship we have in our homes and with our children. Every good parent wants more secure relationships with our teenage children, but we don’t know how to get it. Wirig provides actionable ideas that when applied can profoundly impact the quality of our parenting, and will result in stronger, more secure and happier youth. If we want safer communities, including a decrease in violence, bullying, and depression, we have to first focus on our home life. It all starts in our homes and with us, the parents. This parenting guide should be on every bookshelf and referenced frequently by parents who desire a more peaceful and loving home.─Timothy Ballard, best-selling author of Slave Stealers, and founder of O.U.R: Operation Underground Railroad.