Always My Child: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Your Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, or Questioning Son or Daughter

Kevin Jennings, Executive Director of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) has co-authored the definitive book on guiding, understanding, and - hopefully - accepting in love your GLBTQ child. It is primarily targeted toward parents struggling to help and deal with their questioning or coming out teenage child.This book is not specifically about dealing with transgender children, although there are about 30 pages devoted to dealing with issues and problems of Trans teens. It also talks to people of color and includes young peoples' input to parents. Cultural messages of gender and sexuality are discussed and techniques of dealing with these messages are offered for consideration.Many of the popular myths about homosexuality and transgenderism are analyzed, with facts presented to aid in accepting and understanding. Suggestions are provided for dealing with friends, your teen's friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Signs of trouble are discussed, along with suggestions for helping your teen deal with them.While the advice is directed toward sexual and gender diversity, the advice applies to dealing with any youth. The principles of dealing with children apply globally.So what is the secret? The title says it best - "Always My Child." Your child's needs come first, no matter what. Love your child; don't pressure them, but encourage them to discus their feelings, fears, and problems.

The book is written with sensitivity and understanding of both the teen's and the parent's feelings and fears, without sugar coating. The book is a few years old now and it is amazing how much has changed in this country in respect to popular cultures attitudes towards the LGBT community, but the book is still very relavent and we still have a long way to go.

My son is 14 and is gay. I was hoping to get a little more knowledge on how raising a gay teenager was different from any other teenager. This really didn't help that much. It seemed more geared toward pre- "coming out." Also, the book is about 8 yrs old, and it seemed outdated already. Then again, much has happened in 8 yrs.

I wanted to share that this is a very practical, heartfelt guide for anyone in a helping role, especially parents, working with children and their healthy development as GLBT children. Written from the perspective of someone who grew up in a Christian environment makes this guide very applicable for parents of GLBT children in communities that are less open-minded about sexuality issues, or frequently misinformed.

For Parents who were just given the news that there child is questioning if they are gay or straight you will find this book helpful.

Extremely helpful and sensitive book. Wish the author would write an updated version as this book is a decade old. Still has great material for talking with your child and others about your child. Highly recommend.

Love this book! Such a delicate subject; as a child psychologist this is the one I recommend to my client's parents who are struggled with this new information. Highly recommend it.

Great reading, insight, very meaningful writing

Informativ

Very good, comprehensive, up to the point, well written, good choice if you are interested in issues of homosexuality and how to deal with it as a parent Good work