THE SACRED FLIGHT OF THE TEENAGER by Dr. Susan Smith Kuczmarski
    Category:  Non-Fiction
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  4/1/04
    Publisher:  Bookends Publishing
    Reviewed by:  Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Dr. Susan Smith Kuczmarski is a social scientist who has spent twenty-five years as an educator, lecturer, and authority
    on family culture.  The great thing about THE SACRED FLIGHT OF THE TEENAGER is that, unlike so many other
    educational guidebooks out there, Dr. Kuczmarski doesn't dwell on dysfunctional families, but those normal parents
    and teens working together to survive adolescence.  

    The book is divided into the follow categories and sub-categories:

    Part 1--Letting Go:  The Sacred Step; Pain; The Art of Argument; Tai Chi; On Stepping in and Stepping Back; A
    Feast of Laughter; Superteen Takes Flight; and Turtle Medicine.

    Part 2--Keeping in Touch:  The Wisdom of Goats; Values; Changing Values; Hello in There; Tips for Talking to Teens;
    Letting Feelings Out; The Judge and the Detective; and Buried Treasure.

    Part 3--Exploring:  Surfing Life; Rude and Cantankerous; Fending for Themselves; Gunny Sacks; Freedom; Nourishing
    Mistakes and Hard-Won Lessons; Primer on Drugs; and Ground Rules.

    Part 4--Acquiring Skills:  A Boat on the Water; Maneuvering in the Adult World; Behind the Wheel; Work
    Discoveries; The Spirit of Giving; Relationships; Singing Heart--First Love, Passion, and Sex; and Looking Ahead
    Together.

    Part 5--Connecting:  Witches, Aunties, and Guides; Play and Nourishment; Creating Families of Their Own; Becoming
    a Group Member; Learning Leadership; Beach Glass and Exploring; Mental Shift; and Self-Acceptance.

    I have always been a big believer that it is my job, as a parent, to help my children develop strong morals and values
    that they can take with them when it's time to go out on their own.  Dr. Kuczmarski reiterates those beliefs, and then
    provides practical advice on how to go about letting your teenager take off into the world.  This is the perfect book for
    parents struggling to find a balance between being helpful and being overprotective and judgmental, and for teens
    wanting to gain knowledge on how to interact with their parents.
The Sacred Flight of the Teenager:
A Parent's Guide to Stepping
Back and Letting Go
by Dr. Susan Smith Kuczmarski