What Your Mother Never Told You: A Teenage Girls Survival Guide [Paperback]

Richard M. Dudum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2007

What Your Mother Never Told You uses contemporary teenage terminology with clever memorable phrases, tools, and strategies to empower teenagers to be responsible for their decisions and actions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing; 1st edition (November 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419678698
• ISBN-13: 978-1419678691
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful & Written for Teenage Girls, February 19, 2008

By 

C. Middleton (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Your Mother Never Told You: A Teenage Girls Survival Guide (Paperback)

Adolescence for those who can remember, is a difficult time of life, and having worked with young adults for some time now, as a secondary school teacher, more often, it is the teenage girls who have the toughest time. This is not to say that boys have it easier, simply girls mature faster, and the decisions they have to make are never easy. Dudum has written something that is quite unique. His prose is directly written for his intended audience, teenage girls, and he pulls it off beautifully.

Dudum's advice is simple and, as the title states, is a "Survival Guide" for teenage girls.

As the cliche goes, "hormones are in hyperdrive"; it is a time when decisions, big decisions have to be made. "Should I follow my friends and have sex though I don't want to?" "What is sexual assault, harrasment and rape?" Who am I, really?" One of the main issues I've come across is self esteem; some young women, although they FEEL it's wrong, that is to say, having sex because her friends are all doing it and drinking, too...will go along (to be accepted) and after the deed is done, plunge into depression, leading to the worst thing you can imagine.

Dudum has covered alot of poignant and relevant issues concerning teenage girls, and in some cases, has hit the nail right on the head.

The most important chapters in my humble opinion are: 9,"Find out Who you really are...Not"; 41, "The Media Hype"; 43, "Manipulative Boys" and, 57, "Hang in there and Go for It."

From my experience, you can never order a teenage girl, "Read this because you need it!" She'll simply will not because you ordered her to; keep it around and she'll eventually, because it's her "choice", pick it up and read it.

And, to be sure, the book is written in such a way that it will at least get her thinking, reflecting about her life...and making (hopefully) the right decisions...and that in itself is a great thing.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful read that touches the heart and mind of young women, June 25, 2008

By 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos "johnnycat15" (Western Mass) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Your Mother Never Told You: A Teenage Girls Survival Guide (Paperback)

This is a warning that the review you are about to read is not my typical review. Every once in a while you read a book that is so powerful and touches you in such a way that you must talk about it in that fashion.

Such is the case with "What Your Mother Never Told You: A Survival Guide for Teenage Girls" by Richard M. Dudum.

When I began reading this book I kept thinking, "Gee, all this advice sounds like common sense. Why would anyone want to buy it?" But I'm a month shy of 40 years old, of course it all seems like common sense to me; I've already lived through it.

As soon as I got to the section titled How to Handle Yourself, however, everything changed. Suddenly, I was no longer a wife and mother with all my wordly experiences. I was back in high school trying to fit in, struggling to figure out who I was while dealing with the loss of my mother who died of cancer my freshman year. I had no confidence, no idea what I should or shouldn't be doing, and no one to guide me into adulthood because my father and I rarely spoke.

What a difference this book would have made in my life had it only been available back then!

"What Your Mother Never Told You" teaches young women about the importance of self-respect, removing themselves from situations they have no business being in, and how to get out if they happen to find themselves in one of those sticky situations. It talks about sex, drugs, alcohol, boys, personal safety, Internet safety, and many other topics that young women must know about in order to survive and thrive in today's world.

Dudum should be applauded for his dead-on, practical advice that he shares in a direct manner that young people will appreciate. There's no hand holding going on here, just a straightforward approach that reaches right to the hearts and minds of young women everywhere.

Also included are five Appendices including links to specific drug details; steps to take if the reader or someone she knows has been assaulted; signs to watch for that will help the reader identify if one of her friends is participating in self-destructive behavior; how to help a friend in need; and the lyrics to a song written by the author's son that summarizes the messages Dudum is trying to impart to the reader.

"What Your Mother Never Told You" is a must read for every young woman and should be available in school libraries and at your high school's guidance office. I encourage parents and daughters to read it together. I'll be tucking my copy away so that I can share it with my daughters when they are old enough.

These final words come from Page 221 and 222 of "What Your Mother Never Told You" and sum up my exact thoughts on how I feel as a mother of two girls growing up in a world that is sometimes less than safe:

"I want you to have fun, go to parties, meet boys and girls, dance, laugh, sing, and have a great time. At the same time, I want you to always anticipate and avoid potentially harmful people, places, situations, and the type of fun that can blur your reputation. I want you to always be smart and safe...I want you to be confident, elegant, and hold yourself to the highest standard, a standard that is beyond compare. A standard that YOU can and will always be proud of...I want you to always respect yourself."

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EVERY teenage girl needs this book!, September 23, 2008

By 

Callista "from SMS Book Reviews" (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Your Mother Never Told You: A Teenage Girls Survival Guide (Paperback)

I must admit when I first received this offer I was intrigued because I've read lots of books for teenage girls, mostly when I was a teen, but never one written by a guy. So I was very interested in reading what a guy had to tell a teenage girl.

This is the BEST guide for teen girls I have ever seen and even though my kids are only 1 and 2, I'll be saving it for when they are teens. I wish I had this guide when I was younger.

This is a no-nonsense, no-bull&*%! book that tells it like it is, which is exactly what teen girls need and exactly what all the other guides are lacking. As a parent of a teen, you may be shocked at what the author says but you would need to realize that teens aren't stupid and they know when you are just giving them lectures disguised as advice.

For example, most books tell teens they shouldn't drink and why. This book tells you that AND says that if despite all this info, you still decide to drink (because let's face it, many will,) than at least drink SAFELY and here's how.

Also the author helps the teen think about how the parents feel or think and to consider that when they decide to do something or not.

Each chapter is short, which is good because talking too much on one tough subject will just make the teen tune out. Here is a brief list of topics covered: Body Language, Never Assume, Mean Girls, Confidence and Self-Esteem, Stereotypes, How to Tell Your Parents (anything), Watch Your Back, Gossip, Sex, Alcohol, Drugs, Facebook/Email/Webcams, Porn, Free Will, Love and much more. You will also find some appendices with these titles: Specific Drug Details, Sexual Assault - Steps to Take, Signs to Watch For, A Friend in Need and Take Some Time.

I cannot make it clear enough how much EVERY teenage girl needs a copy of this book. If you think that having your child read about alcohol, drugs and Sex or talking about it will make him or her try it, you are mistaken. Statistics have proven that having an open conversation and not holding back on real facts will help your teen make better choices.

If you happen to be a teen and are reading this, you NEED this book. If you have money, buy it. Otherwise ask a trusted adult to get it for you as a gift.