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(More customer reviews)This book is a must-read for parents of children approaching adolescence and for those in the throws of it, as well as teachers, grandparents, clergy, and others who come in contact with kids ages 10 to 15. By sharing her thoughtful, well-researched insights, Laura Sessions Stepp is able to help demystify what is often a difficult passage for both parents and teens.
As the mother of three boys, 12, 15, and 17, I found this book enormously reassuring. By talking intimately with young teens and their families and friends, Ms. Stepp found that despite the pressures and challenges to succeed, fit in, and experiment with independence, teens still want what they've always wanted: to be loved and accepted while they discover who they are. As a corollary to this, Ms. Stepp assures parents that the role they play is still crucial even as it changes, that their relationship with their teens is all-important even as it transforms.
We all know "it takes a village," but often we're not sure exactly what that means. At the end of each part of her book, Ms. Stepp lists several things "As Parents We Can..." do to encourage our teens in their growth and development, and involve other positive role models in their lives. These tips are distilled from the chapters that precede them, chapters that illustrate WHY it's important to act on this guidance.
"Our Last Best Shot" gracefully blends true-life stories with documented scientific research to give us a better understanding of all the influences at work in a teen's mind, from hormones to peer pressure. We get a detailed picture of the young teen that rivals all we know about infancy.
The writing is clear, frank, and best of all, positive. We hear so much about the effects of divorce, teenage pregnancy, learning disabilities, overcrowded schools, alcohol and drugs, guns and violence, AIDS, and all the rest. It's refreshing to hear a sensible, rational voice that says, "Stop. Wait. Most teens are great kids, and we can help them become even better."
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