The Divorce Helpbook for Teens
By Cynthia MacGregor
Impact Publishers
Atascadero, CA, 2004
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review by Laura Harting
With chapters
like “It’s not about you—It just feels like it is,” “How did we get
into this mess?” and “The FAQ chapter,” this book devotes many pages to
explaining the whys of parental divorce. For a teen trying to negotiate life,
no longer as a child but not yet as an adult, this will be very important
information to have.
A key
developmental task of being a teen is to understand the world that he or she is
getting ready to enter as an adult. Consequently, teens spend a lot of time
trying to understand why adults do what they do, say what they say, and make the
decisions that they make. Cynthia MacGregor does not avoid the hard questions that
teens ask. She answers them in language that is clear and
appropriate for adolescents. She also gives practical hints to teens about how
to manage their emotions.
In each
chapter MacGregor tells stories about teens and their experiences of divorce. These
stories make it easier for young readers to stay interested. MacGregor also ends
every chapter with points to remember, so if the chapter is too long, readers
can skip to the end and still be able to take away the major points of advice.
I like this
book for teens. It can be helpful for a teen to read alone and it can also
serve as the type of book that parents and teens can read and discuss together.
This book can answer some of the many questions teens have about their own
situations, and it can open lines of communication between parents and children
about divorce.
_________________________
Laura Harting, LCSW, sees young clients at her private practice in Paoli,
Pennsylvania.
