Whatever, Mom: Hip Mama's Guide to Raising a Teenager

by Maia Swift and Ariel Gore

This long-overdue, witty, and revealing book on living life with teenagers begins with the premise that adolescence, as we know it, is nothing but a social construction. "Even your most aristocratic... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580050891
• ISBN13: 9781580050890
• Release Date: March 2004
• Publisher: Seal Press (CA)
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.7" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Save this book!

This book made me laugh, sign, and in some places get all teary eyed. I'm going to save this book for when my daughter(s) goes through puberty. Ariel Gore did it again with this book. She is such a fine writer and hipster mama. I absolutely love all her work and she also is a skilled public speaker, when I've heard her read excerpts from her books. Back to the book, the inclusion of Maia's entries adds to the conversational tone of the book. Buy this book if you are parenting a girl-woman. It will give you a reality check on how to best parent your daughter during her teen years.

Best book on parenting teenagers

This is a lionhearted meditation on guiding our children through their teenage years and learning how to let go. I found Ariel Gore's well-researched advice extremely helpful. The chapters written by her daughter are poignant and, when they poke fun, seem to be all in good family humor. If you have children over eleven, you will want to read this.

doing the best we can...

I loved Ariel's new book. It came just at the right time, as I mourn the loss of my "baby" and am learning to embrace this new developing woman-child in my house. Best: --Normalizing that the process of teen differentiation can be painful and difficult, as well as rewarding. We (parents) are not alone! It's not just me!!--The research to dispell fears & myths about teen, presented in clean and clear (and even funny) format--Reminder that the author is a "human mama-woman doing the best I can". It really helped remind me that I am too!

a beautiful book, full of life wisdom

I think this book is really really great. When I was reaching out for others to share experiences in parenting a young teen and being a rad mom ... There just wasn't much there. There are so many books for birth and pregnancy and toddlers and all that. But Parenting teenagers is the next big step in parenting. And there is no book that is keeping up with the times. Whatever Mom - Rings true! Its comforting, helpful, witty, wise and sweet. I'm glad this book is here! And yes, I might be prejudiced cuz I'm all quoted in the book because I filled out her survey questions and I'm a "hip mama". BUT, I don't know. It's a darn sweet book!