Raising a teenager? Here’s some advice on independence and responsibility from the book “How to Survive Your Teenager” (Hundreds of Heads Books, www.hundredsofheads.com, $13.95), straight from people who’ve done it:

“By the time teenagers get to be about 16 you should stop treating them like kids and start treating them like adults. This can be hard for parents who don’t want to admit that their little babies are growing up. But it’s the only way to get them ready for the real world that they will be entering soon.”

“It’s a teenager’s nature to want to explore and investigate and try things that in a perfect world we would keep them away from. It’s not that they are disrespectful or don’t trust us as parents, but it’s almost an instinct for kids that age to want to try new things.”

“Adolescence is nature’s way of transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Testing the boundaries of independence is an inevitable part of that development.”

—Ruth Drescher, Pittsburgh, mother to two sons, 44 and 42, and one daughter, 40

“I believe if you give a person something, they don’t appreciate it as much as when they put their own blood, sweat, and tears into earning it. We buy my son’s clothes for him and he doesn’t treat them well. But don’t walk past his car: Don’t even lean up against it. He has $3,000 invested in it!”

—Gary Collins, Tampa, Fla., father to a 17-year-old son

“It’s downright scary to face the fact that there is no way to be with them every second to be sure of their safety without taking back all the freedom and rights they have earned.”

—Rita Porter, Springfield, Mo., mother to a 14-year-old daughter

Hundreds of Heads Books’ survival guides offer the wisdom of the masses by assembling the experiences and advice of hundreds of people who have gone through life’s biggest challenges and have insight to share.
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