Oh man, how this reminds me of all the random books my dad would try to give me when I was a teenager, in hopes something would catch my eye. Though this book makes way more sense then anything he tried to give me. This is such a good book for a teen, I think stuff like this needs to be available for teens since some do not have anything or anyone they can talk to. It helps give some perspective for sure.

I think this is the perfect book for teens or preteens who want to know the answer to their burning questions or want to understand why their parents act the way they do. It's a helpful guide to this confusing time and can work as sort of a journal to be able to express how you feel without the burden of feeling like you're wrong or too much.

This book is wonderful and I feel like more and more necessary as the generations go on. I feel like even as an adult this book is helpful and seeing your parents and your relationship with them in a new light. As someone who works with teens on a normal basis this will definitely be a book I will be recommending. It covers so much of what can cause the strife in the child/parent relationship especially during adolescence and makes it easy to see where why the disconnect is there and how to help mitigate that issue. I especially think the inclusion of common parent teen squabble situations and analysis of them is helpful. Also the strong encouragement of boundaries and how you can take all you learned in this book beyond just your relationship with a parent is wonderful.

How to Survive Your Parents by Shawn Goodman provides a candid look at the struggles of adolescence with a blend of humor and honesty. While the book effectively captures the challenges of growing up, its portrayal of the parent-child relationship might not offer new insights for all readers. Overall, it’s a relatable read that resonates with some, but may not stand out in a crowded genre.

Thank you to Penguin, Rocky Pond Books, and NetGalley for the eGalley to review!

I can't overstate how necessary a book like this is. It is a book specifically for kids--teens--to understand their relationships with their parents (or caretakers, though parents is the term used for this book) and how to set boundaries for when things get difficult with them. It is not a book for parents though if someone wants to get some good insight into their own actions in parenting or to understand their own relationship with *their* parents, I would recommend they read this book too.

The disclaimer here is that this is not a fix-all book. It is not the magical solution to create a utopian familial relationship. It's also not a long-winded excuse for parents' behavior. It is a book to help kids learn the skills necessary to change how they and their parents see each other, and for kids to realize that they are separate and authentic people. It is written by a psychologist who has worked with countless teens with unique stories and from different backgrounds and social status all over the country--a psychologist who once had a difficult relationship with his own parents.

Importantly, this book is a workbook that can be written in and interacted with to help the reader create a plan to implement these newly learned tools in a way that fits their situation. It's written in a casual, non-patronizing way to be on their level, complete with curse words to tell it like it is--making it real, serious, and engaging. Readers don't have to worry about it being just another dry, academic textbook in their life, though it does have reflection questions to ensure its content is getting through to the reader. Nothing needs to be taken in order and not everything will be applicable to the reader's life, which makes it a handy go-to guide whenever a situation arises and the reader needs to reference it. It covers how the world has changed since that of the reader's parents' time and how to repair disconnection, take care of oneself, set good boundaries, and have positive conversations. Repeatedly it is mentioned that the onus is not on the teen to "fix" or change a parent--all of this is to help the teen more or less manipulate the situation for a healthier and safer outcome. Most importantly, it has a section for how to use these tools beyond one's parents into future relationships, and an in-depth set of resources that includes hotlines, apps, and organizations so teens can get further help from professionals.

If I were a teacher, counselor, or school librarian, and I had the money for it, I would be buying a copy of this book for every single one of my teens, regardless of whether they actually have a difficult situation with their parents/caretakers. The tools and affirmations in this book are so deeply important to healthy relationships and I would rather all of them know out the gate what to do should that ever change. It would be a perfect addition to sociology, psychology, or health curriculum. As a public library worker, I see it as a necessary addition to our collections, for teens to access outside of school. Seriously, it's that good and necessary of a book!

This was a funny and unique approach to the teen parent relationship. An entertaining guide that may be more helpful than you'd expect.