The phrase, ‘‘Like, Whatever” might be the anthem for angst-filled teenagers, but parents will be relieved to know it’s also the title of a new book on how to deal with this notorious age group.
The book is an anthology that combines research, personal and professional experience, and anecdotes to tackle a wide variety of issues relating to teens. The chapters address safety, sex and driving – all the usual suspects – but they also delve into the more unusual topics of single parenting, blended families, stress management and how to raise a community-minded teen.
Rebecca Kahlenberg of Bethesda hatched the idea and edited the book; she also wrote a chapter on teens and health. The freelance writer specializes in reporting on family and health topics and is the mother of three teenagers. The contributors she recruited are people she knows either through her personal life or through her profession.
‘‘I think there are a lot of people out there who sort of fear the teen years,” Kahlenberg says, noting that this time need not be miserable for everyone involved, that families can and should enjoy the teen years.
The book is filled with practical advice and concrete tips, and is meant to be an easy-to-read resource that can be absorbed in short intervals when parents have the time, Kahlenberg says.
‘‘We’re not aiming to be a theoretical book,” she adds.
Many books about teens deal with specific issues like eating disorders or depression, but this is a much more general guide with information that all parents of teens can use.
There are a total of 15 chapters written almost exclusively by parents of teenagers who are also professional writers and Montgomery County residents.
‘‘A lot of these people are dealing with these issues day in and day out,” Kahlenberg says.
Barbara Strom Thompson, a private practice family-life educator and child development specialist, says she was thrilled when Kahlenberg asked her to participate. In her chapter, ‘‘Teens & Our Culture,” Thompson explains that over-scheduling and overprotecting teens leads them to be unprepared for adult activities and decisions. Teens, especially in the D.C. area, may have amazing resumes when they go off to college, but may lack basic skills like time and personal finance management.
‘‘We’re doing too much for our children,” Thompson says, who believes that giving children more responsibility when they are young sends the message that the parents trust them.
Contributor Susan Land, a Bethesda-based writer, says she jumped at the chance to explain the positives of video games. In her chapter, ‘‘Teens & Games,” Land examines the role of various types of games in the lives of teenagers.
Land says she was hearing many parents express concerns about video games. But games can be beneficial for teenagers, she contends. If a kid has not found a niche through athletics or other social groups, the world of gaming might be the perfect place to fit in.
‘‘It can be the most wonderful thing in the world,” she says. ‘‘...games nowadays offer all kinds of lessons and challenges – intellectual, analytical, social, artistic, even physical – and, hey, they’re fun,” Land writes in her chapter.
In his early teens, Land’s own son was very involved in Magic the Gathering, a complex card game that involves both luck and skill.
But Land acknowledges that games can be all consuming and even dangerous for some teens, and urges that parents monitor their child’s gaming habits and seek out professional help if their teen appears to have an addiction.
Each chapter ends with a list of 10 tips that summarize its main points and a list of resources the author used to gather information.
In the book’s introduction, Kahlenberg writes that she considered writing the book on her own, but made it an anthology at a friend’s suggestion.
‘‘It really lends a lot more expertise to the book,” she says.
Contributors for ‘‘Like, Whatever” will speak and sign copies at 7:30 p.m., May 8, at Barnes & Noble Booksellers Bethesda, 4801 Bethesda Ave. Call 301-986-1671.
