Get Out of My Life: The bestselling guide to the twenty-first-century teenager - Softcover

Teenagers are tough, and anyone who has their own needs help. Here it is: a witty, enjoyable, ground-breaking and genuinely helpful guide that breaks the mould. This is the best survival manual for parents who find themselves marooned among volatile and incomprehensible aliens on Planet Teen. It looks at all the difficult issues of bringing up teenagers - school, sex, drugs and even suicide. But it's the title of the second chapter, 'What They Do and Why' that best captures the book's spirit and technique, explaining how to translate teenage behaviour into its true, often less complicated meaning. One key mistake, for instance, is getting involved in no-win conflicts instead of having the wisdom to shut up when shutting up would be the most effective - albeit least satisfying - thing to do. The message is clear: parenting adolescents is inherently difficult. Don't judge yourself too harshly!

Suzanne Franks is a former television producer, journalist and author, and now Professor of Journalism at City University. She has a teenage son and two teenage daughters. She lives in London.