When I saw this new book by Exisle Publishing come across my desk in an email, I was very keen to take a look, now that I am into my 14th year of Motherhood.
I was very excited to get my own copy last week and start to read this book, "with entertaining stories and 12 principles that open the cages, unlock the doors, gently tear down those walls, and get you talking". How to Hug a Hedgehog explores everything from communication to what you might have missed on the teen "warning label".
Written by Best-selling parenting author Brad Wilcox who teams with It's OK to cry author Jerrick Robbins to help you fact your worst fears, effectively handle pressure and stress, and answer the hardest question of all: "What happens if I fail?".
In the first chapter, Hear Them Cry, Brad and Jerrick explain that just like when our children were babies, we had to learn to interpret what each cry meant. We had to work out whether they needed feeding, changing, rocking or something else.
They explain that "Teenagers' emotions and needs are usually expressed in coded messages - secret codes, if you will - that we must receive and interpret. It's really nothing new".
"Now those little ones are teenagers, and they are still playing the same game. They no longer need a diaper change or bottle. They need security, acceptance, attention, and positive feedback. But they don't voice those needs any more clearly now than when you were babies. They just give you signals and expect you to figure out what they need. In their own way, your teens are still crying. Only now, the tears are inside."
Quotes taken from pages 8-9. Reproduced with permission from the publisher.
Looking forward to reading more of this book with it's stories, especially with this recommendation on the front cover:
"This book is full of hope. It makes something hard seem easy. It is sure to have a positive impact!" - SEAN COVEY, authro of the international bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.
How to Hug a Hedgehog is available from Exisle Publishing and wherever good books are sold.