Teenagers Guide to the Real World
 

Okay. There's this guy, Marshall Brain, and he wrote a book by that name. I have not read the book. The reviews on Amazon indicate that he has a Christian slant and he has a very traditional take on sex (things that are so not me).

HOWEVER, his website has a really great resource page, which has lots of ideas for adults too. Pages on getting a summer job, volunteering, suggestions on dates, etc. So, worth a look, here:

http://bygpub.com/books/tg2rw/tg2rwtoc.htm

Bookmarked for future use.

And now, since everyone wants to hear what I think. Here's some noise from a blathering idiot!

The number one fallacy fed to teens is that at some point they are going to run into "The real world." People tell me this lie to this day, and still no sign saying "Welcome to the Real World: Don't leave too much skin on the pavement."

My random thoughts (what would have been useful for me):
1) Dating: Zoo good, movie bad. First date involving girl's 15 closest friends, is bad. Especially if they are on a sports team together.

2) Teach your kids to volunteer. My parents raised us Catholic, and somehow I've only volunteered a handful of times, and it wasn't even for worthwhile things. Volunteering is fun, you meet people, and you learn.

3) Everyone has the same kinds of fears and insecurities that you do. This, for me, was a mind-blowing realization. "You mean that really frood dude is insecure about the way he looks?"

4) Don't order magazine subscriptions from a dude who scammed his way into your dormitory.

I'll look at it a little later and give my review of it as unbiasly as possible.

Your pants may look cool around your knees, but even McDonalds won't hire you if you wear that. It's a safety hazard, yo. :lol: :p

This book is kinda fucked up. Being a teenager has no guide, other than trial and error. It's what makes it fun.

fun. eep.

You realise you are in the real world when you start falling and don't stop. And not only does no-one come to rescue you, but you reach a point where you realise no-one else could save you, and there's only you left if you want to stop falling.

Some teens think they have already faced this because their parents have hidden the safety net well. Some adults are lucky enough never to have face it.

I think that would be a sound assessment. I consider part of the separation as being financial as well. My kids don't know how good they have it right now, it scares me a bit, and I know it scares them.