A Vital Resource for Supporting Emotional Growth in Young Minds

Allison Edward’s Growing Up Strong is an exceptional guide for anyone looking to help young people understand their emotions, navigate conflict, and embrace personal growth. As a high school teacher, I’ve found this book invaluable—not just for supporting teens but also for providing adults with the tools to guide younger children in developing emotional intelligence and resilience.

Edward’s writing is empathetic, clear, and engaging, making it easy for both adults and young people to connect with her ideas. She distills complex emotional concepts into accessible strategies that foster self-awareness and emotional regulation. These lessons are just as relevant for elementary-aged children as they are for teenagers, making this book a versatile resource for parents, teachers, and counselors alike.

What sets Growing Up Strong apart is its focus on equipping adults with practical tools to help kids manage their emotions. Edward provides downloadable resources—worksheets, reflection prompts, and activities—that are perfect for structured lessons or casual conversations. These materials make it easier to implement her strategies in real-life settings, whether it’s a classroom, therapy session, or family dinner.

I especially appreciate Edward’s emphasis on fostering a growth mindset. She encourages young people to see mistakes and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow, a perspective that is invaluable for building resilience. Her practical tips for navigating conflict with empathy and understanding are also highlights, offering realistic approaches to resolving challenges in relationships and daily interactions.

Having recently enjoyed Emma Davis’s Essential Life Skills for Teens and Smart Career Planning for Teens, I was thrilled to see a similar balance of emotional intelligence and practical advice in Growing Up Strong. While Davis focuses on external life skills, Edward dives deeply into the internal world, creating a perfect complement for those guiding young people toward emotional and personal growth.

If I had one suggestion, it would be to include even more examples tailored to diverse experiences, particularly for kids facing systemic challenges or trauma. Expanding on these areas would make the book even more inclusive and impactful.

Overall, Growing Up Strong is a must-read for parents, educators, and anyone working with young people. Its actionable insights and downloadable resources make it a powerful tool for guiding children and teens toward a healthier, more confident future. I’ll be returning to this book often in my work with students—it’s a gem!

Calling all parents, educators, and counselors! This book packs a major punch in just about 100 pages.
It offers lots of actionable ideas and strategies to help the children in our lives develop their emotional regulation and prepare for adulthood.

The chapters include: Why Feelings Matter, The Five Feelings Kids Need to Manage Before Age 18, A Four-Step Process to Managing Feelings, and Building Emotional Muscles. And the author breaks it all down with what this looks like at home AND at school. There is truly so much information in such a short book. I know I’ll be referencing it for years to come as a parent.

I absolutely love this book. After reading the first chapter my mind was blown by the information. I love the images that are used to help explain different things. As a parenting coach, teaching children how to understand emotions is huge. This books is written very well and is a must read for everyone who works with children.

I love books about growth mindset and this one is great! Kids face a lot more problems and hurdles these days, and I think this book does a fabulous job giving practical, concrete strategies they can use to deal with those frustrations and the emotions around them. I like that it has ideas to use in a school setting or at home, making it good for educators and parents. Well done!