You Re Ruining My Life

Imagine that there is a medication you could administer to your teens that would help regulate their moods, increase their sense of trust, and improve their overall brain function. Imagine, moreover, that it’s free, has no negative side effects, and helps to boost the immune system. And it’s available in an unlimited supply. It sounds too good to be true, but in You’re Ruining My Life! Jennifer Kolari shows how her unique approach to parenting can have all these effects and more. Kolari’s CALM technique is based on the therapeutic strategy of mirroring . Used regularly, it can strengthen the parent–child bond and build emotional independence. Kolari provides information, advice, sample conversations, and anecdotal examples to show how parents can turn what they have learned into everyday practices that help them to reconnect with their teens so they can spend more time enjoying each other—and less time at war.

Samantha Slayton's eleventh year includes losing her last baby teeth, towering over every boy in dance school, and being mortified by everything her mother does.

When a child is acting out, parents often respond with anger. But there is a better way. Drawing on twenty years of experience as a child therapist, Jennifer Kolari explains that children act up when they feel an adult does not understand their concerns. The answer is parenting with empathy, which Kolari helps parents implement via her proven CALM technique: Connect emotionally match the Affect of the child Listen to what your child is saying Mirror their emotion back to show understanding With this simple strategy, parents can connect with their child in any situation to reduce anxiety, de-escalate tantrums instantly and increase self-esteem. Insightful and empowering, Connected Parenting is filled with step-by-step advice and examples from families that have been transformed, often within weeks. It will bring out the best in you—and your child.

What does a kid do when his mother takes embarrassing moments from his life and puts them in books read by kids all over the country? Harvey Ryan comes up with a scheme to make his mom think about anything but writing.

**FREE SAMPLER** 'This book is a call to arms from the eye of the storm' - Emma Gannon, author of The Multi Hyphen Method Do you ever obsess about your body? Do you lie awake at night, fretting about the state of your career? Does everyone else's life seem better than yours? Does it feel as if you'll never be good enough? Get a first glimpse of Why Social Media is Ruining Your Life with this exclusive free sampler, and learn how to tackle head on the pressure cooker of comparison and unreachable levels of perfection that social media has created in our modern world. In this book, Katherine Ormerod meets the experts involved in curating, building and combating the most addictive digital force humankind has ever created. From global influencers - who collectively have over 10 million followers - to clinical psychologists, plastic surgeons and professors, Katherine uncovers how our relationship with social media has rewired our behavioural patterns, destroyed our confidence and shattered our attention spans. Why Social Media is Ruining Your Life is a call to arms that will provide you with the knowledge, tactics and weaponry you need to find a more healthy way to consume social media and reclaim your happiness.

We all have an internal alarm clock that goes off when we're about to make a bad decision... Some of us spend our 20's hitting the snooze button. By taking a look at 9 common, everyday mistakes, which most of us have an opportunity to make on a regular basis, Steve Farrar speaks with wisdom and wit in this short book that serves as a wake up call we should all take. From starting our 20's on the wrong foot to neglecting our own gifts and strengths, and from isolating ourselves from real community to ignoring God's purpose for our lives, How to Ruin Your Life by 30 will help navigate these treacherous waters we call adulthood. No matter where you are at: preparing for, recovering from, or in the midst of your 20's... this short book will help.

As if seventh grade isn't hard enough, Truth Trendon learns she has to wear a back brace to help her worsening scoliosis. She decides gravity is to blame for curving her spine and ruining her life. Thanks for nothing, Isaac Newton! Truth's brace is hard plastic, tight, and uncomfortable. She has to wear a t-shirt under it and bulky clothes over it, making her feel both sweaty and unfashionable. She's terrified that her classmates are going to find out about it. But it's hard keeping it a secret (especially when gym class is involved), and secrets quickly turn into lies. When Truth's crush entrusts her with a big secret of his own, it leads to even more lying. Add to that a fight with her best friend, a looming school-wide presentation, and mean rumors, and it's a recipe for disaster. As Truth navigates the ups and downs of middle school, can she learn to accept her true self, curvy spine and all?

A life on the prairie is not all its cracked up to be for one girl whose mom takes her love of the Little House series just a bit too far in this middle-grade novel about belonging from the author of A Patron Saint for Junior Bridesmaids. Charlotte’s mom has just moved the family across the country to live in Walnut Grove, “childhood home of pioneer author Laura Ingalls Wilder.” Mom’s idea is that the spirit of Laura Ingalls will help her write a bestselling book. But Charlotte knows better: Walnut Grove is just another town where Mom can avoid responsibility. And this place is worse than everywhere else the family has lived—it’s freezing in the winter, it’s small with nothing to do, and the people talk about Laura Ingalls all the time. Charlotte’s convinced her family will not be able to make a life on the prairie—until the spirit of Laura Ingalls starts getting to her, too. Praise for Laura Ingalls Is Ruining My Life: "This sharp and quirky story winningly portrays a girl who, in finding herself, finds family, friends, and a place to belong." —School Library Journal "The family and friendship dynamics play out believably and compellingly, and the Laura Ingalls connection will draw in fans and enrich the reading experience. Between adroitly interwoven American history and the engaging relationship drama, there is plenty of material here for group discussion and personal contemplation." —BCCB