Parenting Teens with Love and Logic

By Foster Cline, M.D. and Jim Fay

Book Review by Marta Hatter

The authors’ focus their approach in this book on the kids who have entered the years of adolescence. This book shows how to encourage mature behavior while not destroying the relationship. The love and logic teen parenting helps to reduce behavioral problems as parents learn how to view kids with respect and love even during challenges.

Developmentally, teens are struggling toward independence and individuality. At times this natural process may become painful for families. Readers are given both insight and practical principles for moving through this process with teens while decreasing conflict. This book is organized into three sections. Part one applies the information from the first book to adolescents. Both effective and ineffective parenting approaches are discussed. The authors explain the developmental needs of teens and teach parents how to respond with empathy to the consequences of their adolescent’s decisions.

Part two describes the transition from childhood to adolescence. How the young person reacts to both the internal and external change is explored. Practical guidelines and support are given to parents on how to raise responsible teenagers. The third part is point by point practical guidelines for specific parenting challenges with teens. The authors have designed these three parts so that each one builds upon the information in the previous section.

Thirty-three of the topics cited by parents as the most common problem areas are addressed. A “parenting pearl” is offered for each issue. Examples of these include; “Backtalk”, “Appearance”, “Cars”, “Parties”, “Mood Swings” and “Sex”.

As a professional who works consistently with parents and teens, I find this resource to be a strong support in successful work with teens. My observation is that Love and Logic skills help parents to develop better family relationships and to move more calmly through the trying teen years.

 -Marta