Review: Mom’s Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World by Nancy Rue

Mom’s Ultimate Guide to the Tween Girl World by Nancy Rue
Reviewed by: Lori Twichell
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: July 2010

Do you have a teenage girl? Or a tween girl? If you do, then you probably understand the frustration of entering this completely new phase of life with your daughter. I mean for me, I just felt like I could finally figure out what might come next and then hormones hit. (And honestly I believed for YEARS that the rapture was going to happen before I became the parent of a teenager. That pretty much defined my entire ‘parenting teens’ philosophy.)  So I was pretty happy to get this book!

Seriously though, I’ve read a lot of parenting books (either for review or for my own edification) and this one touched on a variety of concerns, issues and thoughts that I hadn’t previously considered. With the benefit of wisdom and years of teaching, parenting and working with teens and tweens, Nancy Rue has been far more than a casual observer! Thankfully she puts her immense knowledge into this tome for parents and I loved it!

What grabbed me first about this book was a spot on description of Generation X, the Baby Boomers, and the very clear reasons that kids today are the way they are. Long story short, Nancy explains how Baby Boomers spent a great deal of time trying to ‘find themselves’ and ‘define their generation’ which left those of us who are their kids trying to break molds and define ourselves. Because many of the people in my generation were latchkey kids, now that they are parents, they are highly involved in their kids’ lives. That’s why we tend to shower our kids with affection and activities and ‘stuff.’ Talk about a light bulb!!!! In just a few pages, Nancy had nailed several major issues that I’ve been working on in my own life.

But not only does she give this insight, she helps us understand how to help build into our girls what they need. Not just self-esteem, but how to erect confidence and to also understand how the world is different for our daughters – far different actually – than it was for us.

This isn’t your typical parenting book. There’s no guilt here and no worries that we’re constantly messing up our kids. (I hate that! The second you become a mom there are a million people telling you what you should and shouldn’t be doing and how it will have repercussions for the rest of your child’s life!) Instead, with humor, grace and what feels like an offer of friendship, Nancy comes alongside you, gives you that hope you’ve been looking for and tells you that everything’s going to be okay.

If tween-dom is on the horizon for you or if you already have teens or tweens, this book will be an incredible blessing for you. If you work with teens, you don’t want to miss this one either.

Two thumbs way up for this wonderful, encouraging book!

This is a book written for and targeted specifically toward adult women. Though younger people might find some insight in it, it’s really more for parents.

Review copy provided by the author. Thank you!