Introduction: Learning and Gaining Wisdom from Your Teenager
An Alternative View on Parenting and Personal Growth
Perception Is Everything
You and Your Teen Hold the Key
Clarifications
Value Your Teenager’s Energy, and Embrace the Teen Spirit
Lesson 1: Satisfying Basic Needs
Five Basic Needs
Teen Dilemmas
Parent Dilemmas
Exchanging the Baton
What You Can Learn from Understanding Your Teenager’s Needs
Lesson 2: Examining Values
The Value of Values
What You Value Counts
Examining Values over Time
Overcoming the Limitations of Values
What You Can Learn from Your Teenager’s Values
Lesson 3: EPIC Existence
How Philosophy Simplifies Parenting
Explore
Play
Inspire
Connect
What You Can Learn from How Your Teenager Explores, Plays, Inspires, and Connects
Lesson 4: Redefining Boundaries and Reconsidering Consequences
Life’s a Beach
Anxiety Disguised as Defiance
Tips for Setting Limits and Determining Consequences
Lines Are Sometimes Meant to be Crossed
Managing Conflict When Enforcing Limits
What You Can Learn from How Your Teenager Redefines Boundaries and Reconsiders Consequences
Lesson 5: Connecting with Your Teen
Building a Road to a Healthy Relationship
Do Today What You Wish for Tomorrow
Giving Attention
Embracing and Supporting All Aspects of Your Teen
Skills, Interest, and Resiliency
What You Can Learn from How Your Teenager Connects with Himself and Others
Lesson 6: How You Communicate
Components of Communication
The Impact of Technology on Communication
Promoting Dialogue
Hear What Your Teenager Has to Say
What You Can Learn from How Your Teenager Communicates
Lesson 7: Ensuring Health and Wellness
Care for Yourself and Your Home
Staying Cool When You Are Feeling Hot
Learning from Mistakes
The Team Approach
What You Can Learn from How Your Teenager Ensures Health and Wellness
Lesson 8: Fear Not, Let Go, and Move On
Looking Back Can Help Move the Relationship Forward
Fear Whether Real or Imagined Is Important to Understand
Letting Go for the Sake of Holding On
Moving On with the End Goal in Mind
What You Can Learn from How Your Teenager Doesn’t Fear, Lets Go, and Moves On
Conclusion
The Conflict Over Pomegranate Juice