We have a tendency today to over-parent, micromanage, and underappreciate our adolescents. Dr. John Duffy's The Available Parent is a revolutionary approach to taking care of teens and tweens.
Teenagers are often left feeling unheard and misunderstood, and parents are left feeling bewildered by the changes in their child at adolescence and by their sudden lack of effectiveness as parents. The parent has become unavailable, the teen responds in kind, and a negative, often destructive cycle of communication begins. The available parent of a teenager is open to discussion, offering advice and solutions but not insisting on them. He allows his child to make some mistakes, setting limits, primarily where health and safety are concerned. He never lectures—he is available but not controlling. He is neither cruel nor dismissive, ever. The available parent is fun and funny and can bring levity to the most stressful situation. All of that is to say, there are no conditions to his availability—it is absolute.
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"John was a high school classmate of mine / while often non fiction parenting books can be very dry and hardly page turners, I found this book to be highly readable, practical and pertinent. His perspective on how to build and keep a connection with your children is spot on." — Michelle (5 out of 5 stars)
"John was a high school classmate of mine / while often non fiction parenting books can be very dry and hardly page turners, I found this book to be highly readable, practical and pertinent. His perspective on how to build and keep a connection with your children is spot on."
“A healthy dose of optimism and lots of practical suggestions.”
“Every parent of a child or teen will benefit from keeping this wise book on their night stand. It’s likely they will want it handy to read over and over again.”
“Every parent who wants to give it their best shot in working with, and not in opposition to, their teen needs to check in with Dr. John Duffy and apply his ‘available parent’ strategy.”
“I couldn’t put The Available Parent down…John’s a brilliant writer with keen intuition into how kids think and how parents can, sometimes unknowingly, sabotage their relationship…John relays their amazing stories of growth in smooth, witty, and helpful prose. Any parent with a child—no matter what the age—should read and learn from this book.”
“What a true gift…Teens and parents are both resilient; with the tools provided in the remarkable book The Available Parent, you and your teenager can both enjoy your new and improved relationship.”
“Dr. John Duffy’s fresh new concept of availability in parenting is an idea that meets the moment. With the pace of society constantly accelerating, we need The Available Parent now more than ever! Dr. John’s writing is smart, approachable and right on the mark. His blend of practical ideas and colorful examples delivers great insights. Most importantly, I am a better parent thanks to this book.”
" Great book for parenting older kids. Info. is delved out in smaller chunks, making it easier to digest and remember. Lots of stories from his practice made it really interesting too -- all in all a really enjoyable read. "
" A brilliant book on parenting teenagers. A great reminder to me that even though teenagers are frustrating at times it is important to focus on the interesting and positive aspects of their unique personalities. "
" Great book with useful insights that grabs attention and motivates. I couldn't put it down and have enjoyed reading this must read book. "
" Basically just confirmed how I already parent -- yeah me! "
" A short and easy read. I saw most of it as being commonsense -- which is a criticism too, in a way. Still, it's worth reading one or two such broad and commonsense books as a bird's eye view of the terrain. "
" Short, simple and to the point. The author uses anecdotes from his practice to illustrate points. Everything he says is doable and valid. "
" Wow, I'm so glad I read this. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because some instances of profanity. I'm just on the cusp of parenting a teenager but I can already see how I can start implementing being more available to my kids right now. Fantastic. "
" So far this is an inspiring book for parents of teenagers who are struggling with all the typical challenges. "
Dr. John Duffy is a clinical psychologist and certified life coach with a thriving private practice in the Chicago area. He works with both teens and adults and specializes in helping parents maximize satisfaction and minimize conflict in their relationships with their teenagers. In addition to clinical work, Dr. Duffy also consults with individuals, groups, and corporations in a number of areas, including emotional intelligence, stress management, balancing work and family, conflict resolution, goal setting, and the power of thoughts in bringing about change. His highly satisfied clients include Sears, Allstate, General Electric, Household Financial, Exxon Mobil, Accenture, Bank of America, and Hewitt Associates. The Duffy family lives in Chicago.
David Colacci is an actor and director who has directed and performed in prominent theaters nationwide. His credits include roles from Shakespeare to Albee, as well as extensive work on new plays. As a narrator, he has won numerous Earphones Awards, earned Audie Award nominations, and been included in Best Audio of the Year lists by such publications as Publishers Weekly, AudioFile magazine, and Library Journal. He was a resident actor and director with the Cleveland Play House for eight years and has been artistic director of the Hope Summer Rep Theater since 1992.
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