Lunch Bag Notes

By Ann Marie and Al Parisi 

More Lunch Bag Notes

By Anthony and Al Parisi 

When Al Parisi was thirty-nine years old, he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Surgery and treatment saved his life but left him unable to work, and he retired on permanent disability. Parisi, father of two and devout Catholic, in an effort to combat the depression of the loss of his “former” life, deemed himself “CEO of the Parisi Household.” His willingness to invest himself emotionally in his children made him acutely aware of the everyday struggles they face and he made a vow to help his children navigate their adolescence as best he could. While packing lunches, Parisi wrote notes to his daughter on the outside of the bag. His pearls of wisdom, covering everything from kindness and morality to simple messages communicating his love for her, were at first crumpled up, then read, and finally shared with friends in a cherished lunchtime ritual. His daughter Ann Marie lovingly saved the bags in a shoebox in her closet and the book Lunch Bag Notes: Everyday Advice from a Dad to His Daughter was born. He continued the tradition with his son, and his newest book, More Lunch Bag Notes: Everyday Advice for a Dad and His Son is due to be published this fall. In our culture of overindulging, over-scheduling and tough love punishments, Parisi’s loving, spiritual guidance is a must-read for parents who want to help their kids through their difficult teen years and emerge the happy, healthy and moral adults all parents hope their kids will become. Both books are paperback, published by Loyola Press and available at bookstores nationwide or online atwww.loyolapress.org

Breaking the Code (Two teens reveal the secret to better parent-child communication)

By Lara Fox and Hilary Frankel 

Most parents have, on more than one occasion (per day!) been perplexed about how to best communicate with their teenagers. Let’s face it – we speak a different language than our kids. In spite of the fact that we were teenagers once too, we remember it well, and we are ever so much cooler than our own parents could have ever hoped to be, we are hopelessly out of touch. It’s not our fault! This is the natural order of things. But there are ways to help our kids, and two teenagers have set out to give us a roadmap to navigate these tumultuous years with our children. Loaded with everyday situations, this interesting, easy-to-read, and relate to – book is informative and helpful for parents who have set out to decipher the language of their teens.  Written by teenagers for parents, Breaking the Code is full of information given from a viewpoint we seldom see, but is valuable in its own right. Published by New American Library and available at bookstores nationwide or online atwww.penguin.com

You Can’t Scare Me…I Have a Teenager!

By Thomas W. Stacy PhD and David A. Gold, PhD 

Having a teenager in your home is just not ever easy. It is certainly easier for some than others, but the challenges all parents of teens face are pretty much the same for everyone. And it’s no walk in the park. You Can’t Scare Me…I Have a Teenager is billed as a “Parent’s Basic Survival Guide,” and the information inside is an invaluable guide for parents everywhere. Divided into five sections: Navigation, Survival, Hazards, Extreme Environments and Long Term Survival, this informative guide helps parents set up strategies for handling their children, helping them cope and outlines assistance for parents whose kids develop more serious problems like depression and eating disorders. Informative, interesting and easy to read, You Can’t Scare Me is a valuable way for parents to learn to communicate better with their teenage children. Available from Child and Family Press at bookstores nationwide.

Sacred Flight of the Teenager; A Parent’s Guide to Stepping Back and Letting Go

By; Dr. Susan Smith Kucmarski 

Do you know when to fight the good fight and when to step back and allow your teen to find her way? If you don’t, you are not alone. Most parents are perplexed about the best way to handle their teenagers in a way that fosters their growth and still keeps them safe and relatively free of a bunch of life-changing consequences for their actions. Dr. Susan Smith Kucmarski encourages parents to cherish this time of life with their kids, and helps them to understand the transformation that is occurring. Chapters like Keeping in Touch, Letting Go and Acquiring Skills give parents the navigational tools to understand their teens and see that the challenges the face are not insurmountable and can be addressed lovingly. This unique and empathetic approach will teach parents to help their children and give insight into when to step in, when to let go, and how to embrace the opportunity to nurture their kids throughout adolescence. Published by Book Ends Publishing, The Sacred Flight of the Teenager is available at bookstores nationwide.

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