Customer Reviews

Doing It Right: Making Smart, Safe, and Satisfying Choices About Sex

5 star:		(10)
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2 star:		(1)
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Pardes (dubbed `The Sex Lady' by her students) has a superb "voice" for dishing sex advice to adolescents. As a middle school teacher, I know all too well how difficult it can be to strike the right tone in talking to pre-teens and teens. If you talk to them too simply, they think (rightly so) that you're patronizing them; if you talk to them as you would an adult, then their eyes glaze over and all is lost. It is a fine line. What is remarkable about Doing It Right is that Pardes achieves that delicate balance by talking to this age group in a way that is neither condescending nor complicated -- she just gives her readers the facts on sex matters in a manner that is down-to-earth, unbiased, and often funny. For young adults who read this book, not only will Doing it Right be an important source of information on some of the biggest issues they face today, but even more importantly, Pardes' accessible writing style will read like a candid conversation with the cool big sister they wish they had.

What a breath of fresh air this book is!

As a parent of a pre-teen girl, I'm concerned that the messages we give our teens about sex emphasizes the wrong things and omits critical information. The author does a remarkable job of cutting through the confusion around sex to expose some deep truths about making smart and satisfying choices.

The book is written for teens, but would be a valuable resource for any parent who wants to put honesty at the center of the conversations they have with their teens about sex.

The age-old dilemna that has been the theme of so many comedy routines -- how the heck does one explain to teenagers who are discovering their own sexuality what it all means? -- is answered in this insightful, user-friendly guide. Parents who are not quite sure how to confront it? Buy this book. Teens whose parents aren't explaining, or whose friends are talking nonsense about sex? Buy this book. Make no mistake. The issue is not whether teens should have sex: they are, and they will. The issue is, when they have it, do they have any idea what it is, and how to protect themselves from harm? Important as well, Pardes conveys through her non-judgmental style that teens need not feel guilty about the fact that God has given them sexual feelings. They can then make their choices without guilt, and with full information -- a tremendous service.

As a clinical psychologist working with adolescent girls this book has been a life-saver. The book answers real-life questions teenagers have about sex in a non-judgmental, easy-to-understand way. The topics are broad and the book does not shy away from any issues. The author's respectful and supportive tone conveys a sense of confidence in the reader's ability to take control of his/her body and choices. This book is a well-written, practical resource for pre-teens, teenagers, parents and professionals, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

I got this book for my 14 year old nephew. He loved it. It helped him get the information that he needed, and helped him ask the questions that he didn't know that he had. Good book, good facts, good presentation.
Several of his friends saw it in his room, and have asked to borrow it, and he has been asked to "bring it along" when he visits his friend's houses. I had got him a couple of other books on puberty, but this is the book that he liked best, (and that his friends like best.) 13-14 year olds need way more good information on Sex and Decision making than most people think. If you think that your child does "not need to know this yet" . . .you are wrong. They already know about it. Get them the facts. This book does that well.

This exceptional book on teen sexuality should be the first book anyone with questions about sex or sexuality buys. Written for both boys and girls- with the belief that boys should know about girls and vice versa-it's ideal for a parent looking to buy a book for their teen or for a teen looking for something written specifically for them. Parents will find plenty they probably didn't know, and may very well learn ways to talk to their kids about difficult issues. Teens will find a warm, non-judgemental voice they can trust.

Great factual information. What most kids are not going to ask about - but should know.
Leave out on your bookcase for the kids to pick up and read.
Might save your child from asking friend who may make up something instead of giving factual information.
Adults could learn a thing or two in most cases

Knowing that I will have to talk to my daughter about sex makes me nervous. Where do you start? How do you present information in a way that is truthful and factual but also appropriate for a teen? How do you support her taking care of herself emotionally and physically as she enters into adolescence and beyond? How do you know that when she goes looking for answers to questions she is too embarrassed to ask you she will find clear, unpoliticized information that supports and respects her?

Well, I think the answers to all my questions are simple. Use this book.

I will use this book to find language that she will hear and understand. When I feel she is ready, I will give this book to her so that she can find information to questions that mabye she just can't ask me. I will rest easy knowing that she has information and support as she navigates one of the most challenging, most scary and most wonderful parts of being an adult.

I am relieved to find this book.

Pardes uses her experience with teens to provide the information that they want and need, always advising them to use their judgment and make careful choices--to think carefully about what's right for them. She's never preachy, patronizing, or political. She's just providing a resource to readers who, after all, have already been thoughtful and mature enough to pick up this book. I would be very happy for this to be among my own kids' sources of information when they feel they're ready for it.

Read the full review of DOING IT RIGHT in the discussion section below, or at teensreadtoo dot com / doingitright dot html

The Amazon censors don't seem to care for some of the anatomically correct terms used in the review.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"