Sparks: How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers

by Peter L. Benson

Book Overview

In this practical book, Dr. Peter Benson, a leading authority on childhood and adolescence, describes a simple yet powerful plan for awakening the spark that lives inside each and every young person. Sparks--when illuminated and nurtured--give young people joy, energy, and direction. They have the power to change a young person's life from one of "surviving" to "thriving." Grounded in new research with thousands of teenagers and parents, Sparks offers...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0470294043
• ISBN13: 9780470294048
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A guide for parents to finding those hidden talents of their teenagers

The teenage years are when one can get talents that can make them who they are for the rest of their lives. "Sparks: How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers" is a guide for parents to finding those hidden talents of their teenagers and encouraging them to feed that gift to prepare their teenager for the future. A good talent, be it artistic, practical, or anything else, can mean a lot in today's world, and feeding that as a teen means it can be enhanced in high school and college. "Sparks" is a must for parents of teenagers who see something in them but don't know how to bring it out.

Common Sense, Positive Approach for Encouraging and Developing Teens

Overview It isn't easy being the parent of a teenager in today's society so parents need to use every tool they have to help their teenagers be happy, productive and positive members of their community. The approach described in the book focuses on helping parents to identify, nourish and encourage their teenager's "sparks." According to the author, a spark: * gives energy and joy * provides the feeling of being alive, useful and purposeful * is absorbing to the point that you "lose yourself in the moment * originates from inside a person * is a skill, talent, interest or gift * is a person's prime source of meaning, self-directed action and purpose * has the potential to make the world a better place for others. Some specific examples of sparks include: music, art, writing, dance, crafts, building, design, leadership, entrepreneurship, sports, athletics, learning, teaching, relationships, volunteering, nature, animals, computers, comedy, speech, spirituality, drama, photography, film, being committed to living in a specific way, reading, advocacy, family, outdoor life, journalism, engineering, and solving social problems. The book offers five steps for igniting and encouraging your teen's sparks: 1. Recognize the power of sparks 2. Know your own teenager 3. Help discover and reveal your teen's sparks 4. Be the captain of your teen's spark team 5. Keep your teen's spark lit. The book is packed with quizzes, lists, tips, interviews, statistics and quotes to illustrate the author's five steps and help parents implement them successfully. The book also includes an extensive list of resources, books, websites, films, videos, organizations and studies to help support parents and their teens in the spark development process. My Thoughts The ideas in this book made a lot of sense to me. It seems like a "no brainer" that encouraging your teenager to discover, nourish and fulfill what drives them would result in a more positive and productive person. The approach advocated in the book is non-judgemental, positive and encouraging. It is not about trying to discipline your teen; rather, it is about helping your teen find a way to contribute positively in the world by doing what they LOVE to do. Really, everyone -- regardless of age -- would be better off by identifying, developing and nourishing their own sparks. The author provides research and statistics to back-up his recommendations, but I didn't really feel this made any real difference to me. What he says just makes sense. I really wish that every parent could get a copy of this book to help them in the difficult teenage years. I can't see why this book wouldn't be helpful to any parent or person working with teenagers. The other thing I liked was that the author provides lots of quizzes to help parents and teens discover their spark. In addition, there are tons of examples of potential sparks -- surely everyone could find at least ONE spark using the

Advice that is old but that cannot be heard enough

The advice here is accurate, but hardly original in the modern era. Fundamentally, there are two main tracks to the advice and the first can be stated as "To create a solid adult citizen, find something that your teenager is passionate about and do everything you can to encourage it." This is advice that can be found in many places and in many forms in the last two hundred years, For centuries, doing what you wanted to do was restricted to the moneyed and royal classes, it was only after the Industrial Revolution that it could be applied to the masses. In the modern world of immediate action and immediate gratification and with so many options for young people, it is difficult to keep them focused on a track that will lead them to success. The second track is about adults being involved in the lives of teenagers, even when it may not appear that the teen is paying attention. The adult does not have to be a driving force, at times the best position is to be riding alongside and talking. With so much going on in their lives and so much potential for good or ill, just being there is the key point of value. Therefore, while the advice in this book is not new, it is still the most valuable advice to receive regarding the parenting of teenagers. Parental interest and engagement and allowing them to become involved in their passions are the two strongest forces that will move teenagers away from the bad and dangerous and into the positive.

"How to Give Your Teen a Spark--Passion"

"How to Give Your Teen a Spark--Passion" One of the things I wish for my children is that they have passion for their career, hobbies, family, and life in general. This book teaches parents, teachers, and youth leaders how to ignite the spark that leads to passion. What is a spark? It is a potential, a talent that could lead to your teen's passion, calling in life. It is what makes your teen unique. What better gift to give your teen that finding and igniting his spark? Though parents are the main people to ignite a spark, the author calls on all of us--neighbors, teachers, church leaders, coaches, and etc... to help mentor teens, so they may find their spark. There are inspiring testimonies from teens who have embraced their spark. Toward the end of the book, is a list of suggestions for igniting sparks. It lists possible talents your teen may have. It lists the external and internal factors needed to turn the spark into a passion. This book not only explains what a spark, it also tells how to nurture it into a flame of passion. This is well written and easy to read. Parents, youth leaders, and educators will benefit from this book.

Quality Research and Writing

Peter L. Benson wrote a well researched, insightful book for parents on how to support their children's personal development. I would recommend it to any parents, grandparents or those working regularily with youth. The book's biggest fault was mainly several obvious typos.