"The world of parenting look's different from
here," says Dr. Mary Manz Simon in her book, "How to Parent Your "Tweenager,"
(Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995). Dr. Simon is a practical parenting
specialist who uses her experiences, along with those of other parents, to
present a realistic look at those children who fall between childhood and
teenager. The years between 8 and 12 are times of major change
in all areas of a child's life, says Dr. Simon. This requires a major change
in how parenting should be approached. "While a parent cannot change the
rate at which a child goes through puberty, they can provide accurate
information about these natural body changes," contends Dr. Simon. Parents
can impress upon the child important values when it comes to issues such as
sexuality, goal setting, self-esteem, personal management skills and more.
An author of more than 35 books, Dr. Simon's titles have sold more than 750,000
copies and are available in six overseas editions, including Russian. She
is a columnist for "Christian Parenting Today," with a bachelor's degree
from Illinois State University, with a double major in Elementary Education and
Library Science. Her doctorate is from St. Louis University. She has
taught from preschools through graduate school.
How to Parent Your "Tweenager" offers a valuable approach to these
years. It to helps build a solid foundation of communication and
values in preparation for the teen years. "Because you are parenting
through these years, you will celebrate when your child enters the next phase of
development," writes Dr. Simon. "You will face the future with confidence
because you walked with your child every step of the way."
