Having survived two teenagers and in the midst of the third readying to leave the nest, I remember being frustrated about
the choices my
children were making. At first, like most parents, I yelled, judged, and tried to keep control. I have to admit that there were times that our house felt like a war zone. The big break, for me, was
actually listening to my kids. The more I listened, the more they actually talked to me. Over time, I realized that my children were trying to figure out who they were, who they wanted to be, and what they’d like their lives to look like. They weren’t trying to run me out of their lives. In fact, they valued my opinion and my experience. For Parents Only illustrated a lot of the experiences and lessons that I had to learn the hard way. I don’t agree with everything in this book but I definitely think that it will help parents start those first conversations and relate to their children’s needs, fears, and desires.