Warning Signs

What can parents and other concerned adults do to prevent the next Sandy Hook? Are there red flags that warn us if our children might become victims or perpetrators of bullying, or of sexual assault? How do we know when a child or young adult is at risk for suicide, or just moody? These are certainly questions most parents have wondered about, especially at a time when childhood dangers seem increasingly hard to predict or control.

Warning Signs is the first comprehensive book of its kind, explaining the underlying factors and signs of youth violence and aggression—and how to identify and guard against them.

Topics include:

• Violent media influences
• Bullying
• Hazardous friendships
• Sexual aggression and abuse
• Risky thinking and entitled attitudes
• School safety
• Gun violence
• Mental health, and more

Doctors Brian Johnson and Laurie Berdahl provide specific, practical ideas, strategies, and tips based on current research and years of clinical experience. They even suggest language parents can use during tough conversations with their kids—or with another child’s parents. This timely guide will appeal to any adult who is worried about the levels of violence and aggression committed against and by today’s youth, and who want to raise emotionally healthy, kind, safe children amidst today’s dangers.

Brian D. Johnson, PhD, is a licensed child psychologist, parenting expert, and professor at the University of Northern Colorado. Dr. Johnson has been doing research, teaching graduate students, and seeing children and families in clinic for over twenty years. Laurie Berdahl, MD, is an obstetrician-gynecologist with genetic research experience, and is a writer and speaker on parenting and adolescent wellness. Married for over thirty years, Drs. Johnson and Berdahl are the coauthors of 7 Skills for Parenting Success, have two grown children, and live in Greeley, Colorado.