July 2023 MBR The Parenting Shelf

The Parenting Shelf

Out
John Sovec, LMFT
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.jkp.com
9781839974243, $17.95, PB, 192pp

https://www.amazon.com/Out-Parents-Supporting-Lgbtqia-Through/dp/1839974249

Synopsis: The coming out process for LGBTQIA+ adolescents and young adults can be a terrifying moment, not only for themselves, but also for their family and friends. When intense emotions are running the gamut of concern, shock, joy or even anger and acceptance, it can be tricky to process how you feel while giving your child the support they need.

Offering essential guidance and advice, "Out: A Parent's Guide to Supporting Your LGBTQIA+ Kid through Coming Out and Beyond" by counselor and therapist John Soveck is here to help you with chapters that explore LGBTQIA+ terminology, understanding the coming out process, effective communication strategies, talking to your LGBTQIA+ kid about sex, the parents' process of acceptance, and the family coming out process.

Importantly, this guide also covers a wide range of lesser-known orientations such as pansexuality and asexuality as well as dedicated chapters on trans youth and the often overlooked grieving process for parents with stories of lived experience throughout.

With a unique three step strategy, you and your family can support your LGBTQIA+ child's newly shared identity, create a stronger family unit, and move towards a more open, affirming relationship based on honest communication and understanding.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented -- especially for the non-specialist general reader seeking to know what to do (and why) when they realize that their child is gay, "Out: A Parent's Guide to Supporting Your LGBTQIA+ Kid through Coming Out and Beyond" is essential and unreservedly recommended reading. A core addition for personal, professional, and community library Parenting & LGBTQ+ instructional reference collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, "Out" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: John Sovec (https://www.johnsovec.com) is a licensed therapist, counselor and coach who specializes in working with LGBTQIA+ teens and their families during the coming out process. John has written for Huffington Post, Medium and Good Therapy and appeared on the Ricki Lake Show, OWN, Shahs of Sunset, Raising Whitley, BRAVO, Fox News, The Washington Post, and LA Talk Radio. He is the host of OutTalk and lives in Pasadena, California with his husband.

Raising Good Humans
Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
9781684033881, $16.95, PB, 184pp

https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Good-Humans-Parenting-Confident/dp/1684033888

Synopsis: A kinder, more compassionate world starts with kind and compassionate kids. With the publication of "Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids", Hunter Clarke-Fields shares with parents and caregivers powerful and practical strategies to break free from "reactive parenting" habits and raise kind, cooperative, and confident kids.

Whether you're running late for school, trying to get your child to eat their vegetables, or dealing with an epic meltdown in the checkout line at a grocery store -- being a parent is hard work! And, as parents, many of us react in times of stress without thinking -- often by yelling. But what if, instead of always reacting on autopilot, you could respond thoughtfully in those moments, keep your cool, and get from A to B on time and in one piece?

With the help of "Raising Good Humans", parents will find powerful mindfulness skills for calming their own stress response when difficult emotions arise. Also featured are strategies for cultivating respectful communication, effective conflict resolution, and reflective listening. In the process, you'll learn to examine your own unhelpful patterns and ingrained reactions that reflect the generational habits shaped by your parents, so that you can break the cycle and respond to your children in more skillful ways.

When children experience a parent reacting with kindness and patience, they learn to act with kindness as well -- thereby altering generational patterns and creating a kinder, more compassionate future. With this essential guide, parents and caregivers can see how changing "autopilot reactions" can create a lasting positive impact, not just for your kids, but for generations to come.

Critique: Given all the stresses, pressures, and anxiety creating conditions of modern life upon the family, "Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids" readily qualifies as essential reading for any and all parents wanting, seeking, and trying to create a better world for their children -- and grandchildren! While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "Raising Good Humans" is especially and unreservedly recommended for professional, community and academic library Parenting and Family Conflict Resolution collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE, (https://mindfulmamamentor.com) is a mindfulness mentor, coach, host of the Mindful Mama podcast, and creator of the Mindful Parenting online course. She coaches moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter has more than twenty years of experience in meditation and yoga practices, and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide.

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