<p>I read the book about a month ago, after it was recommended by a relative, and I found it extremely helpful. The Newsweek article does not do a good job of summarizing it and some of the posts here by people who have not read the book are really off the mark. The book was discussed in another thread last month, and every poster who had read the book was very positive. Here is one of my posts:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/995368-help-mom-major-decision-about-her-son.html#post1065568993[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/995368-help-mom-major-decision-about-her-son.html#post1065568993</a></p>
<p>The authors are not suggesting throwing away our educational system or going back to the days of child labor. I don’t remember anything about exposing our children to danger. What the authors are proposing is adding certain kinds of experiences that may be missing from some adolescents’ lives. They also advocate continuing efforts to include teenagers in family/adult life, rather than just giving in to the notion that teens should occupy a “bubble” composed of agemates. </p>
<p>I found the book wise and profoundly helpful.</p>