November 15, 2010
Important new resource is a call to action for every adult
Proactive guide encourages adults to be advocates for young people
MINNEAPOLIS: It is time to face facts: our society doesn’t spend much time thinking about children and teenagers. When we do, we tend to focus on kids’ mistakes rather than on their successes. As a result, many children and teens feel disconnected from adults (even those in their own families), ignored by people in their community, or unwelcome in public settings. As Dr. Peter L. Benson writes in Parent, Teacher, Mentor, Friend: How Every Adult Can Change Kids’ Lives: “Society does not have a youth problem. It has an adult problem.”
How can adults help make their communities more positive, affirming places for children? As it turns out, it only takes a few simple steps to make a world of difference.
Parent, Teacher, Mentor, Friend: How Every Adult Can Change Kids’ Lives (Search Institute Press, November 2010), by child development expert Peter L. Benson, Ph.D., is a powerful wake-up call for adults: through simple, constructive actions, they can make a positive impact on kids’ lives.
In Parent, Teacher, Mentor, Friend, adults will learn simple actions that end up having a lasting significance for kids, such as taking a few seconds to find out more about the teenager bagging your groceries, having lunch with your niece instead of just reading her Facebook updates, or offering a few words of encouragement to a lonely child. These small things can jump-start meaningful interactions in surprising ways. In addition, each chapter offers suggestions for fostering deeper conversations and building stronger connections, as well as real-life examples from caring adults on how they helped build a web of support for the young people in their lives.
Dr. Benson is the president and CEO of Search Institute, a non-profit organization committed to helping create healthy communities for every young person, and has conducted numerous research studies about children and adolescents to discover what young people need to lead happy, healthy lives. In Parent, Teacher, Mentor, Friend, Dr. Benson reveals that nothing has more impact in the life of a child than a positive relationship. Even when they appear moody or withdrawn, kids want affirmation from adults and they need and appreciate adult attention. It is up to adults to take notice of the youth around them, acknowledge their accomplishments and connect them with caring, supportive people.
An excellent guide for all adults, Parent, Teacher, Mentor, Friend illustrates that small actions and gestures do matter and can change the lives of this nation’s youth for the better.
Peter L. Benson, Ph.D., is the president and CEO of Search Institute and is regarded as an expert in child development. He is the author of All Kids Are Our Kids and What Kids Need to Succeed. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Book Details
Title: Parent, Teacher, Mentor, Friend: How Every Adult Can Change Kids’ Lives
Author: Peter L. Benson, Ph.D.
Publisher: Search Institute Press
Publication: November 2010, $7.95 (CAN $8.95), Paper, ISBN: 9781574822830, 256 pages, 4¼ x 7, 3 charts, 6 tables, 3 graphs
Available at bookstores everywhere and through Independent Publishers Group, 814 N. Franklin St., Chicago, IL 60610. Toll-free number for orders only: 1-800-888-4741. Visit us online at www.ipgbook.com.
Publicity Contact
Suzy Winther
612-692-5542
suzyw@search-institute.org
