Synopses & Reviews
The first book to focus on the day-to-day experiences of adolescents dealing with sexual identity issues,
Always My Child provides the insights and practical strategies parents need to support their kids and cope themselves.
Parents whose children are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or who are going through a "questioning phase" are often in the dark about what their children face every day. As a result, offering support that will comfort and fortify them feels like solving a puzzle with missing pieces.
In Always My Child, Kevin Jennings supplies the missing pieces by guiding parents through the world their child inhabits. He explains what these teens often encounter -- teasing and harassment -- and offers solutions for parents who want to better understand their LGBTQ children and learn how to protect their self-esteem. He offers advice, including how to:
- Initiate constructive communication with their child
- Respond effectively to frequently asked questions
- Recognize depression and signs of drug abuse and harassment
- Successfully advocate for their child's well-being outside the home
Always My Child makes it possible for parents to create the kind of relationship with their children that allows them to grow into emotionally healthy adults.
Review
Judy Shepard executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation Every parent should read this book. It's a wonderful resource that I wish had been available to me.
Review
Michael Thompson coauthor of Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Lives of Boys Kevin Jennings provides the kind of wise counsel that will help parents preserve their relationships with their children. He helps us to understand the stages of understanding through which all children and families need to pass in order to achieve family peace.
About the Author
Kevin Jennings is cofounder and executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). A graduate of Harvard, he lives in New York.
Table of Contents
CONTENTSINTRODUCTION
1. YOU AND YOUR TEEN: Understanding Your Issues, Making Your Home a Safe Harbor
2. YOUR TEEN AND SEXUALITY: A Frank Look at the World of Today's Teen
3. YOUR TEEN AND SOCIETY: How Cultural Messages about Gender and Sexuality Affect Your Teen
4. LGBTQ TEENS AND THEIR FRIENDS
5. THE GAY, LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL TEEN
6. THE TRANSGENDERED TEEN
7. THE QUESTIONING TEEN
8. LGBTQ YOUTH OF COLOR
9. OUTSIDE THE HOME: Advocating for Your LGBTQ Teen at School
10. DEPRESSION, DRUG ABUSE AND SUICIDE: Recognizing Signs of Trouble
11. YOUNG PEOPLE SPEAK TO PARENTS
12. CONCLUSION
APPENDIX: Guidelines for Taking Legal Action BIBLIOGRAPHY
RESOURCES
INDEX