A straightforward road map for the bumpy journey from adolescence to adulthood. Of particular interest is the frank discussion on the five Cs of the last stage of adolescence (eighteen to twenty-three) where parents have the least input and control. I also found the section on what to do and what to watch for when signs of substance use begin to be extremely helpful. While most youth have been taught prevention tactics in school, for many the temptation and availability is hard to resist. Parents will learn the signals of a deeper problem and be able to intervene early.
―Gloria Souhami, Director, Travis County Attorney’s Underage Drinking Prevention Program
Masterfully wrapped with personal and clinical wisdom embedded in the relational aspect, Pickhardt does a phenomenal job in providing parents with both conceptual and practical understandings of the joy and angst of parenting adolescents. Who Stole My Child provides practicable ways to strengthen the crucial parent-child relationship. It’s straightforward, relatable, and rooted in insight, equipping parents to navigate the adolescent years from a place of hope and confidence.
―Laura C. Edwards, EdD, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Taylor University
Dr. Pickhardt’s insights into the components of adolescence, how it affects families, and his guidance on how to maneuver through this often-confusing time is essential reading for every family.
―Charles J. Sophy, DO, FACN, Medical Director, Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services
An excellent, helpful book. For any parent navigating the bewildering, turbulent, and often uncharted territory of parenting a teenager, this book is like holding hands with a warm and reassuring friend who has been there, done that, and always knows exactly what to do next. Dr. Pickhardt gives practical guidelines to address the everyday situations parents encounter, as well as effective strategies for handling the really difficult situations that sometimes develop with older teens. With gentle, clear, and calming advice, Dr. Pickhardt helps parents understand the why of adolescent behavior while also providing the words to use in real-life examples.
―Jane Guenther Parent, Senior Editor, Your Teen Magazine
Carl Pickhardt is a brilliant writer and thinker with so much to offer parents, families, educators, and professionals in a variety of fields. He speaks to and writes for those concerned with the well-being and health of emerging adolescents. Pickhardt has a way with reality and hopefulness that is needed in interactions that can feel tumultuous. His work became the cornerstone of a successful program, All Behaviors Count, developed to help educators deal with social cruelty, described by Pickhardt as teasing, bullying, rumoring, ganging up, or exclusion from the group. Putting caring ideas into the hands, minds, and hearts of those who work with young people is a gift that Carl Pickhardt shares widely and so well.
―Dr. Mary Lee Webeck, Director of Education, Holocaust Museum Houston
