Our Last Best Shot : Guiding our Children Through Early Adolescence

by Sessions Stepp, Laura (Author)

• ISBN13: 9781573228756
• ISBN10: 1573228753
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-08-01
• Publisher: Riverhead Trade

Summary

It's easy to dismiss ten - to fifteen - year - olds as moody, baffling creatures. Yet these years are perhaps the most critical time in human development, a juncture at which unmatched physical and intellectual growth, expanding creativity, emerging moral sensibilities, awakening sexuality, and maturing emotions converge. Early adolescence is a time when girls and boys may need the help of parents most - yet it's often a time when they are most reluctant to accept it. And it may be a parent's greatest opportunity to effect positive changes in a child's life. In Our Last Best Shot, we meet twelve girls and boys from all across America. Through their stories, and through Laura Sessions Stepp's extensive research, we gain invaluable advice about how to bring up well - adjusted children in these difficult times. Stepp tells how to spot signs of promise as well as signs of danger, and advises parents about when and how they must intervene. Filled with wisdom and common sense, Our Last Best Shot is a book parents and educators cannot afford to be without.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Knowing Who They Are	p. 9
Am I Competent? (Eric's Story)	p. 14
Am I Loved? Am I Loving? (Chandler's Story)	p. 37
Am I Normal? (Shannon's Story)	p. 63
The Company They Keep	p. 93
Hangin' with the Crowd (Libby's Story)	p. 98
The Loner (Chip's Story)	p. 118
Best Friends (Angela's Story)	p. 141
Learning In and Out of School	p. 161
Low Expectations (Rodney's Story)	p. 166
Learning Values and Being Valued (Jessica's Story)	p. 192
Outside the Box (Jack's Story)	p. 213
The Right Connections	p. 235
Mom's Friend (Michelle's Story)	p. 241
Connections Severed, Connections Made (Mario's Story)	p. 258
The Power of One-Plus (Alana's Story)	p. 279
Epilogue: School Year 1999-2000	p. 293
From my Home to yours: Some Concluding thoughts	p. 305
Notes	p. 325
General Resources on Adolescence	p. 333
Bibliography	p. 337
Index	p. 351
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