Dr. John Townsend first introduced the concept of healthy boundaries within relationships in his book, Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No that he coauthored with Dr. Henry Cloud. Dr. Townsend takes those foundational principles and applies them in a relevant way to parenting adolescents. As the parent of teenagers himself, Dr. Townsend offers refreshing personal examples of how to apply appropraite boundaries to individual teen situations. He also offers examples of how not to apply boundaries sometimes using his own mistakes as illustrations.
Boudndaries with Teens consists of four sections. In section one Dr. Townsend encourages parents to take a look at themselves---their own boundaries (or lack of) and any emotions that may intrude on healthy boundary setting.
Section Two provides an explanation of the adolescent world and the emotions, thought processes, and actions that guide that world. It is a condensed yet detailed section that could be titled "The User Friendly Guide to Understanding Teenagers".
In Section Three, Dr. Townsend provides foundational principles for how and when to set boundaries wtih teenagers. He also addresses the use of consequences (as opposed to punishment) and offers examples of what proper consequences may be.
Section Four deal wtih specific adolescent issues on a chapter by chapter basis. These issues include everything from academic problems to disrepsect to the silent teen. Within these chapters Dr. Townsend offers guidelines for helping a parent know when something is an issue that is severe enough to evoke boundary setting (as opposed to typical and expected teen behavior).
Boundaries with Teens is an easy book to read even for those who are not into reading the latest "how to" book. It is insightful with common sense wisdom that is sometimes lost while in the middle of the turbulence of the teen years. Chapters are short yet full of valuable information. Section four is a great reference guide for any parent as issues arise with their teenager.
Boundaries with Teens can be ordered through our website at Amazon.com. This will help support our ministry. Go to our Resources page and click on the book title. This will take you directly to Amazon.com.