Congratulations, You've Got Tweens!: Preparing Your Child for Adolescence [Paperback]

Paul Pettit (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 21, 2007

Some of the most challenging years of development are the be-tween years of 8-12. Five-time father Paul Pettit has navigated these rocky roads and offers encouragement, as well as practical advice, to help parents avoid the extremes of demanding perfection and disillusioned apathy. (20070601)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Father of five and Dynamic Dads founder Paul Pettit gives parents affirmation and good advice for guiding their tweens (kids between the ages of 8 and 12) through this rollercoaster time in between early childhood and the teen years. Todayís tweens suffer from what some experts call ìKAGOYî (Kids Are Getting Older Younger), and it can present real challenges to Christian parents that Pettit deftly addresses as he calls for a ìbalanced parentingî approach that leads to preparing your tween to ìleave the nestî without over- or under- controlling the adolescent. Pettitís words are a comfort to parents who want to speak their tweenís language. (MTL Magazine )

From the Back Cover

Your daughter is begging to start dressing like a high school senior. Your son says he would rather play violent video games with his friends than play catch with you in the back yard. And . . . they’re only eight years old?! What is going on here?

Congratulations, you’re entering the complex world of tweens! Between the ages of eight and twelve years old, kids begin to explore life, independence, and their developing identities as individuals. It can be a rough ride for parents, but you’re not alone. Five-time dad Paul Pettit has recently navigated these rocky roads and is here to help.

Offering expert advice, personal stories, and thought-provoking discussion questions, Pettit teaches parents how to implement a balanced-parenting style that fits each unique child. In balanced parenting, grace and freedom are paired with healthy boundaries to encourage maturity and responsibility—virtues that carry over into the identity-shaping teen years and beyond. Pettit also addresses the critical importance of communication, showing parents how to talk with their tweens on an honest and heartfelt level. By practicing balanced parenting and authentic communication, parents will discover a give-and-take, love-and-limits approach to raising tweens.

“As a sandwiched parent with a teen, a tween, and a future tween, I enjoyed Congratulations, You’ve Got Tweens!, particularly Pettit’s emphasis on authentic communication. I appreciated the book’s balanced, practical approach to parenting today’s tweens.”

—Mary E. DeMuth
Mom, parenting author of Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God and Building the Christian Family You Never Had

Paul Pettit is the president and founder of Dynamic Dads, an organization offering encouragement to fathers. A former sportscaster and youth pastor, he currently serves at Dallas Theological Seminary as director of spiritual information and is pursuing his doctoral degree in the area of family studies. Paul enjoys theology, Kansas University basketball, and Texas barbecue.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (February 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825434742
• ISBN-13: 978-0825434747
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,150,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Paul Pettit serves as Director of Spiritual Formation and teaches in the departments of Spiritual Formation and Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary. Paul's background includes experience as a sportscaster, author, and speaker. He and wife Pamela, co-authored Congratulations, You're Gonna be a Dad! (Kregel) In addition Paul has written; Dynamic Dads: How to be a Hero to Your Kids (Tyndale House), Congratulations, You've Got 'Tweens. (Kregel), and Foundations of Spiritual Formation. (Kregel Academic)
Paul holds degrees from the University of Kansas, Moody Bible Institute's Advanced Studies Program, Dallas Theological Seminary's Master of Theology and the Doctor of Ministry degree also from Dallas Seminary. He enjoys coaching emerging leaders and also basketball, golf, politics, and barbecue.