Synopses & Reviews
As featured in Newsweek, Time, USA Today, and on Oprah, Dateline NBC, MTV and 20/20, this leading sexuality educator now helps parents guide their children through the difficult adolescent years—from the author of From Diapers to Dating.Debra Haffner's valuable, award-winning book first book on raising sexually healthy children, From Diapers to Dating, helps parents through the infant-to-age-12 period. Her sequel, Beyond the Big Talk, now guides them through the difficult adolescent years, when they are likely to confront such issues as peer pressure, dating and parties, alcohol and drugs, harassment, abstinence, and much more. Organized by age groupmiddle school (grades seven and eight), early high school (grades nine and ten), late high school (grades eleven and twelve), and beyond (ages 18 and up), each section provides:
• "Values Exercises" to help parents decide their own beliefs on various topics, and how to communicate them to their teen.
• "Special Issues" advice on topics such as eating disorders, date rape, sexual violence, and dealing with your teen's questions about your own sexual history.
• Advice on finding "teachable moments" with your teensentry points into discussions on important topics in television, in the movies, and in your daily lives.
A frank and supportive foreword by Haffner's teen-age daughter, Alyssa, gives a young person's perspective on the challenges teens face every day. An exetensive Appendix offers a wealth of books, websites, and organizations for both teens and their parents.
In her trademark "realistic, practical, and informative" style (Kirkus Reviews), Haffner's values-oriented approach is an invaluable resource to both parents and children.
Review
"An excellent guide covering children's and teens' sexuality issues. Haffner's message is practical and frank, both forward-looking and nonpermissive." —Library Journal
Synopsis
"A parent's actions and involvement in their teen's life makes a significant difference," says Debra Haffner in this important guide to help parents through difficult adolescent years.Haffner provides specific information particular to each age group (middle school, early high school, late high school, and beyond) addressing peer pressure, dating and parties, alcohol and drugs, sexual harassment, abstinence, and much more. Whether discussing how to help kids deal with the onslaught of sexual messages in the media or providing sensible guidance on the facts of life, Haffner's values-oriented approach helps parents at a time when they have the most difficulty talking with their children about sex.
Synopsis
Every parent needs help in guiding their teenagers through the difficult adolescent years, when they face peer pressure, dating, alcohol, drugs, harassment, and pressure to have sex, among many issues. In this revised and updated edition of her acclaimed book, parenting educator Debra Haffner offers invaluable practical advice, sample conversations, and checklists that parents can use to talk to their teens. The book includes:
- “Values Exercises” to help you identify and communicate your beliefs to your teens
- “Special Issues” to advise you on discussing difficult topics such as eating disorders and date rape, and responding to your teens questions about your own sexual history
- “Teachable Moments” to help you recognize opportunities or entry points into a discussion of important issues.
“Dont wait for your teen to say, ‘I want to talk to you about sex today. Its not going to happen,” writes Haffners daughter, Alyssa, in the books Foreword. “You will probably have to initiate the discussion. It may be difficult at first, but most teens will talk to their parents if we think you are comfortable talking to us.”
About the Author
Debra W. Haffner has been a parenting educator for more than twenty-five years and works with hundreds of parent groups around the country. She speaks regularly about parenting issues, is a contributor to The Huffington Post, has written for WebMD, iVillage, and DrSpock.com, and has been featured on Oprah, The View, Today, and in Time, Newsweek, USA Today, and U.S. News & World Report. She holds a master's in public health from Yale University School of Medicine and a master of divinity from Union Theological Seminary. Currently the director of the Religious Institute, she is also an ordained minister with the Unitarian Church in Westport, Connecticut. She and her husband are the parents of two children, a young adult daughter and a teenage son.