I've often wondered if there's a manual for raising teenagers. Well, I finally found it! Okay, it may not be about raising teenagers, but it does have to deal with one of the hardest parts of raising teenagers - time management. Getting your teens out the door, homework done and set for the day doesn't have to be the soul-robbing chore it has been for some of us in the past. In the book, What's the Deal with Teens and Time Management?, Leslie Josel gives parents the tools they need to make their child more efficient with time, procrastinate less, and help them find their learning style.
This short book is a "How To" manual that will help parents become the facilitator of time management skills their child will need in the future. The book helps parents break away from being the drill sergeant, yelling commands, checking off the boxes until a task is done, instead making planning, analysis and completion of a task up to the child. For example, instead of telling your child to get ready for dance by saying "Get your dance bag, get your snack, get your change of clothes," she recommends saying something like, "We leave for dance class in 15 minutes. What are you going to need to take?" This firmly places the child in control of getting ready and helps them to backwards think and plan. This is a key skill for adulthood!
There are so many other nuggets of information that are easily implemented in this book, that I strongly recommend it to all parents. Be prepared, though, it is not a "Rah Rah" cheerleading, you can do it book. Josel makes parents responsible for parenting. You cannot simply tell your child to read the book and walk away. It is only of value if you read the book and use the tools she gives you.
Lastly, this book says teen in the title, but I feel you can start this type of training early on your child's life. Critical thinking, taking responsibility, and the ability to plan ahead are skills we want our children to have. Waiting until they're teens to approach these subjects to be addressed and the skills taught is a waste of valuable time we have as parent teachers.
You can find the book, free downloads, and more information at www.orderoochaos.com. If you order the book, make sure to use the Macaroni Kid exclusive promo code MacKid30 for a 30% discount. You'll also get free shipping.
I was given a copy of this book to review. All opinions expressed are my own.
