Have A Tween Or Teen Daughter? Read This.

Posted February 22, 2020 by Prairie Wife -

A few weeks ago one of my friends sent me a text with a link to an audible book and told me “Loved it, it gave me some peace of mind and great tools.”

We’ve been good friends since high school so I totally trust her opinion.

She has a teen daughter while my daughter is still a tween, but we have lots that we have chatted about as far as parenting our girls.

I headed to Amazon.com and read the blurb.

Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour

“An award-winning guide to the sometimes erratic and confusing behavior of teenage girls that explains what’s going on, prepares parents for what’s to come, and lets them know when it’s time to worry.”

Well, that was perfect timing.

Cowgirl G is 11 about to turn 12 and we have 100% seen some changes in how she interacts with us…and her siblings. And TRUST when I say a lot of them have NOT been positive.

While I truly enjoy working with tweens and teens and have loved most of what comes with our Cowkids getting older, I know that it’s always a good idea to prepare yourself.

So I downloaded the book and started listening.

By the end of the first chapter, I was texting at least half a dozen of my friends and telling them “get this now.”

I have since finished this book, and can honestly say that it has now been recommended to at least 20 more people…including the super fun mom from Jersey I sat with at Disney World.

There are a variety of reasons why I liked this book so much.

First, it’s written by a psychologist AND mother.

Dr. Damour uses examples from her own life, and from the lives of her patients to help illustrate her points.

As she talks about each of the seven developmental transitions that turn girls into grown-ups (parting with childhood, contending with adult authority, and entering the romantic world are a few examples of these transitions) she offers solutions and tools.

Word for word she helps you with a script of how to approach sensitive topics, and even tells you what NOT to say.

I also like that at the end of each section she tells you when it IS time to worry about your daughter’s behavior.

I found myself having several ah-ha moments as I listened to this book.

Not only about my daughter’s recent behavior, but I had some great insight into some things from MY past that I didn’t realize had still been bothering me.

Even if your daughters are already into their late teens, I recommend reading this book.

I can see how it would help to ensure that those last few years with your teen daughter at home can positively lead her to the life of independence you want for her.

Side Note: As a mother of not only three girls, but two boys as well, I found that there were lots of nuggets of wisdom I could use with my sons as well.

Categories: Book Reviews, Parenting

Tags: , lisa damour, parenting books, parenting girls, parenting help, parenting resources, parenting teens, parenting tweens, teen girls, tween girls, untangled