Elaine D.'s "Parental Guide on Difficult Discussions for Tweens: Listening, Discussing and Parenting Tweens Through Puberty" is a valuable resource for parents navigating the challenging terrain of discussing puberty with their children. With empathy and practical advice, this book offers a comprehensive guide to engaging in open and meaningful conversations, ensuring a supportive and understanding environment for tweens during this critical stage of development.

One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its emphasis on active listening. Elaine D. highlights the importance of creating a safe space for tweens to express their thoughts and concerns, allowing parents to gain insight into their child's perspective. The author provides numerous practical strategies to foster effective communication, including active listening techniques and the importance of validating emotions. By incorporating these skills into their parenting approach, readers will find themselves better equipped to navigate delicate conversations and build trust with their tweens.

The book is well-structured and covers a wide range of topics related to puberty, including physical changes, emotional challenges, and social pressures. Elaine D. approaches each subject with sensitivity, addressing common fears and misconceptions while dispelling myths. The author also acknowledges the influence of media and peers on tweens, providing guidance on how parents can counteract negative messages and promote healthy body image and self-esteem.

Furthermore, the book provides age-appropriate language and explanations, ensuring that parents can communicate complex concepts effectively. Elaine D. understands the importance of tailoring discussions to meet the developmental needs of tweens, striking a balance between providing accurate information and respecting their maturity level.

While the book is comprehensive and informative, it could benefit from more specific guidance on how to approach difficult conversations or address specific challenges that may arise during puberty. While the author acknowledges the uniqueness of each child's experience, more detailed examples or case studies could enhance the practicality of the book.

Additionally, although the book touches on the importance of ongoing communication, it could have delved deeper into strategies for maintaining open dialogue throughout the entirety of the tween years. Including tips for fostering trust and establishing a strong parent-child connection would have been a valuable addition.

Overall, "Parental Guide on Difficult Discussions for Tweens: Listening, Discussing and Parenting Tweens Through Puberty" is an insightful and empathetic resource for parents navigating the complexities of puberty conversations. Elaine D.'s emphasis on active listening, providing age-appropriate information, and addressing the emotional aspects of puberty makes this book an essential tool for any parent seeking guidance in supporting their tweens. Despite some minor areas for improvement, the book offers valuable advice that will undoubtedly contribute to fostering healthy parent-child relationships and helping tweens navigate this transformative stage with confidence.

This year we will have our first teenager in the house, and during the last few years, we definitely have been feeling the changes. Not since we had a toddler have we been seeking ideas and feedback about how to best communicate with our child, like we are again now! And so when I saw this "Parental Guide on Difficult Discussions for Tweens: Listening" I was immediately intrigued!

In our house, we feel like having the door open to discussing most everything, is the best way to go, but we certainly don't always know how to do that fluidly, and so guides this like are so helpful. Author Elaine D is a big proponent of informing kids and letting them understand the context of things and then letting them take that information to navigate the world around them.

Her tips to discussing tricky topics were helpful in creating a open channel and dialogue of communication between tweens and their parents/caregivers and was my biggest takeaway. As tempting as sheltering your kids sounds, information is power and can help raise our kids into teens and adults that have a more nuanced look at the everyday (and not so everyday) challenges around them.

Thank you to the publisher and author for my gifted review copy. All thoughts are my own.

Informative and helpful. Great way of introducing discussions that can be worrying for parents to bring up.

This book Parental Guide on Difficult Discussions for Tweens: Listening by Elaine D. is a self help/guide book for parents of Tweens and above. Most help books focus on children who are small or teens who are older, this one hits a spot for children in the age group of 8-12 years who are no longer children, although as parents we do not see them as having grown or rather outgrown us. They display streaks of independence that hurts parents and sometimes smothering them too much is counter productive in the long run.

This book by Elaine aims to hit parents of kids in that age group with a list of what nots and what could be done to address issues, whether there is an issue in the first place and how to react when faced with something unexpected. as a father of a Tween myself it was in my self interest to try to understand my kid and this book helped me understand or validate some of my own observations.

The language of the book is easy going and easy to follow and Elaine needs to be commended for this.

The book focuses a lot on positive parenting and talks about stepping back and letting the kid explore the world instead of handholding them, easier said than done but correct way of making them responsible. It also talks about communication or talks with the kids at appropriate times and on even un-appropriate topics which considering the levels of information overdose through various channels like mobiles, tv, etc. that the child is readily exposed to; is extremely important. the kids of this age also feel the need to question about things they have heard, seen, etc. and as a parent it is extremely vital that they get the correct context from us rather than some half baked ideas or speculations from others.

This book has a guide bifurcated by age on how much information and what level would be comfortable for the child of that particular age. It tells about communication breakdown, importance of a good relationship, the Why's of their reactions especially the Teens, difference between a typical against problematic behavior and when to draw the line and seek expert help.

As is expected the book focuses a lot on the issues of Teens and takes the parents to understand various issues like drugs and their impacts and uses.

Mental health and its issues are also a part of this book as is the most recent serious phenomena, Social media. and Cyber bullying.

I liked that the author has touched upon most of the facets that affect children, the parents and their relationship and talks about how a lot of these issues can be minimized by a strong relationship with the child and open communication channels which would help the child to reach out to her parent at the first sign of uncertainty.

Not everything written in this book would be required by all parents but this book does provide a blanket information about all prospective issues which may crop up for children. The book provides clear cut views on all issues and prospective solutions.

As they say forewarned is forearmed when dealing with such an important commodity (children and their future) a parent can never take a chance and any verified information is great and helps save time in researching that topic online where a lot of unverified information is floating. This also beats asking people who may or may not be qualified or who would bank upon their own experience in raising their children which may or may not meet our requirements.

In short I would recommend this book as an essential read for all parents of kids as a textbook to prepare for their growing up. This is an education degree that all parents need.

I compliment Elaine and her publishers on this compact book and wish them all success. Too much of Teens against tweens brings down a star but a high nearly 5 star effort.


I thank NetGalley for this ARC and would like to make it clear that I have read the book and this review contains my own opinions based on my reading and any other comments in this review are my own based on my experience as a father to a 10 year old - a Tween.

Parental Guide on Difficult Discussions for Teens is a extensive guide for parents/family/teacher for answering some sensitive topics with teenagers. Personally I am so glad found this book just right in time when my son start hitting the milestones very soon.
At least this book prepare me to give enlighten response, tips and practices to handle big issues such as alcohol, death, abuse, racism, violence, social media, drugs and other else.
Highly recommended.

Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for provided me with this copy. I learning alot today but my thoughts are my own.

This is a book on how to address issues like drugs, social media and death in the family with your kids. It’s all for teenagers, not really tweens as the title implies. The three big subjects do give tips at the beginning of that chapter, for the other younger ages, but teenagers (12-17) are the main target.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.