Three Sides of the Coin: a Survey About Parenting Teens

Acton, MA (PRWEB) March 20, 2006

Author and parenting consultant Sue Blaney is asking some pointed questions these days and she's hoping for a lot of answers — 1,000, to be exact. Her topic is parenting teenagers and her project is entitled: ”Three Sides of the Coin: A Survey About Parenting Teens.” Her goal is ambitious — she would like to have 1,000 responses from all over the country by the end of April so that she can compile the information for release in time for Mother's Day. (The surveys can be reached directly at http://www.pleasestoptherollercoaster.com/surveys/index.html ).

The short survey is tailored to each of three categories: current parents of teens, veteran parents of teens, and young adults who have grown beyond the teen years. Each of the three categories has three questions to inspire reflection and response.

"I think it is so important to share our parenting experiences. We all can benefit by listening to what has worked for others and what issues are concerning parents now. And we can gain valuable insights on what we've done right or wrong from young adults who have a fresh perspective on raising teenagers,” says Blaney.

Since launching the survey via email this week, Blaney has received almost 100 responses. Already she can see some valuable thoughts in them and is eager to gather more:

• Current parents of teens are worried, “that their teen will have a lapse of judgment, and make a mistake which could cost them their life, or adversely affect the rest of their life.”
• When asked, "If you could raise your teenager again, what would you do differently?" one veteran parent responded, "Listen to them more intently. Sometimes what you think you are hearing is not really what they are saying. Since they don’t want to share everything with you they sometimes hide what is really bothering them with some other issue that is less important.”
• And when asked what advice she could offer to parents currently raising teenagers, one young adult responded, “Don’t try to be “cool” with them – no matter what, you won’t be and it will only hurt your relationship.”

Blaney invites everyone who would like to share their parenting experience to take her short survey. It is available online through her website: http://www.pleasestoptherollercoaster.com. The surveys can be reached directly at http://www.pleasestoptherollercoaster.com/surveys/index.html

Bio:

Sue Blaney is the author of Please Stop the Rollercoaster! How Parents of Teenagers Can Smooth Out the Ride, a guide for parents and parenting discussion groups. Approved by the National Middle School Association and endorsed by professionals like Dr. Laura Schlessenger, this book and the associated program has changed thousands of parents’ lives. Sue has been interviewed on Fox, MSNBC, and radio stations around the country, and she has written articles for American School Counselors Journal and PTO Today. She is a Certified Professional Behavior Analyst (CPBA) with a degree in communications from Northwestern University who resides in Acton, Massachusetts with her husband and family

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