Book: Parents, Teens and Boundaries

How to Draw the Line

by Dr. Jane Bluestein

We are sold out of all remaining copies of this book, which is no longer in print. This book is currently in revision for a 25th anniversary edition, and next in line for an online release. Please search online retailers for copies in the meantime.

The best-selling book that has helped thousands of parents get beyond surviving their kids’ teen years to a place where they can actually enjoy them.

This book looks at the parent-child relationship from a perspective of boundaries—what they are, when they’re necessary, and how to express and maintain them. Discover how to use boundary-setting as a means of avoiding conflict, resolving problems in the relationship and establishing a foundation of mutual love, trust, consideration and respect.

Parents, Teens and Boundaries includes 20 ingredients of healthy parent-child relationships as well as charts, activities, self-assessment exercises and techniques that will reduce conflict with kids of all ages—and other adults, too!

Topics include:

• The relationship: Your teenager and you
• All-or-nothing thinking
• Is there hope?
• How boundaries work
• Keeping the Big Picture in mind
• Love and acceptance
• Anticipation, communication and respect
• Motivation and negotiation
• Following through
• Acknowledging, supporting and encouraging
• Modeling the kinds of behaviors you want
• Building (and rebuilding) trust
• Detachment and self-care

With an emphasis on prevention and positivity, this lively, fast-paced book offers anecdotes parents will identify as they learn to create and strengthen long-term, loving relationships with their children.

Short, concise chapters for quick and easy reading, this book also includes exercises to help you self-assess, plan and implement the practical strategies and behaviors this book suggests.

Winner, Parents’ Choice Award

Written with wonderful simpliciting and clarity, this is an invaluable book for parents who wish to inspire self-reliance and self-responsibillity in their teenagers. Action-oriented and totally practical. Enthusiastically recommended.
—Nathaniel Branden, Ph.D., author, The Psychology of Self-Esteem

I have been a therapist in private practice for over twenty years working mostly with teens and their parents. This book is very well written, and I would recommend it to struggling parents. Setting limits and finding the strength to set them, with today’s demanding teen takes work! Ms. Bluestein shows us how.
—Pamela A. Lowell (Amazon review)

Straightforward, clearly written guide to working with teens. Useful for parents or anyone working with teens, this book provides ideas, situation descriptions and creative solutions to problems with homework, peer pressure, curfews and communication. Sensible solutions are suggested, sources for further information are provided. Very readable. This is one of those “why didn’t I know about this book earlier” texts.
—Reader (Amazon review)

Thoughtful, caring book for parents of children of all ages. I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought the author’s discussion of the subject was clear, concise and made (practical) sense. She paints a picture that is full of hope, not the doom and gloom most people speak of when talking about today’s teens.
—Reader (Amazon review)

Written for parents and caregivers of teenagers, the techniques in this book can work with kids of any age—and adults, too! A great resource for counseling centers, parent libraries, and classroom newsletters.

5 1/2” x 8 1/2,” 180 pages. 

Read excerpts from Parents, Teens & Boundaries:

The Challenge of Setting Boundaries
Examples of Some New Ways of Thinking

A great gift for parents of children of all ages!

Products page. 

© 2012, Dr. Jane Bluestein

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