Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Delightful Review of How Not to Lose Your Teen

Delightful Review of How Not to Lose Your Teen

Last updated on: November 7, 2015 at 8:52 pm by Susan Cottrell

Delightful Review of How Not to Lose Your Teen 2015-11-07T20:52:15-05:00 Susan Cottrell

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Please enjoy this book review, written and posted on Amazon.

Book About Raising Christian Teens (reviewed by a NON-Christian reviewer) [her words]

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Linda Thorlakson

Who is the Intended Audience for How Not to Lose your Teen: Raising Kids who Love God and You Too?

As you may have already guessed from the title, author Susan Cottrell’s intended audience is both Christian and actively engaged in raising kids. What may have eluded you, however, is that these Christians need not subscribe to any particular belief or aspiration beyond a belief in Jesus (as a role model) and the aspiration to form a relationship with God through him. These child-rearers need not even be raising teens. They could be raising kids of ANY age.

What Does Cottrell Offer her Readers?

Cottrell’s advice is as universally applicable as it is child/circumstance specific. The only consistent rules consist of: looking toward Jesus as a behavioral role model, looking to God for guidance, trusting your heart, and teaching the kids in your life (through your example) to do the same.

Why Would a NON-Christian Recommend a Book Tailored to Meet Needs of Christians?

As neither a Christian nor parent of a teen, I hadn’t expected Cottrell’s book to offer me anything worthy of my recommendation that others might benefit from reading it. I was wrong. Although Cottrell didn’t convert me to Christianity (not her intent), she DID persuade me to let go of my black and white illusions about child-rearing. She converted me to the wisdom of being open to all the glorious colors and shades of the entire array of potential parental responses to any particular child within any particular set of circumstances.

What Makes Cottrell’s Advice so Irresistible?

From the first page, readers are swept into a world which is as familiar as it is frightening. Fueled by vivid metaphors and anecdotes, Cottrell takes readers on an adventurous journey through the joys, frustrations, hopes, and worst-case fears of parenthood. Along the way, she establishes an intimate relationship with her audience by sharing her insecurities, doubts, and failures. She’s as eager to learn from her own faults and mistakes as she is to confess them to others (so that they TOO can learn from them).

The journey from here to there is plagued by enough wrong-turns, missed landmarks, and dead-ends to convince even the most discouraged of parents that it IS possible to go off course time and again without destroying the sacred bond between that compass residing within their hearts and the best interests of their children.

To Whom Would I NOT Recommend This Book?

I would NOT recommend this book to you if you’re not currently: raising children, looking to Jesus as both a role model and mentor for deepening your relationship with God, and eager to be the best parent you can possibly be (while convinced that your best is nowhere near good enough). In other words, I would NOT recommend this book to me. Although I AM convinced that my best isn’t good enough, I don’t meet the rest of the criteria. If, however, you meet all the criteria, I can’t think of a single reason not to recommend this book to you.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SUSAN’S BOOK “HOW NOT TO LOSE YOUR TEEN”

How Not to Lose Your Teen

Insecurity

Parents

raising teens

Previous Post

February 27, 2013

Do You Want to Lose What Weighs You Down?

Next Post

March 1, 2013 You Definitely Won't Take it With You

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Church & Religion Dear Susan Family Support Gay Weddings & Marriage GCN Conference Jesus Blog LGBTQ Support Parenting Personal Stories Suicide The Real Jesus Theology Transgender Uncategorized X Archived Posts

Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 June 2022 December 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 November 2018 March 2018 January 2018 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Rabbi" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Scribe Messenger Priest Teacher

Support this
Column