Why should you buy this book for your child?

How often do we hear, ‘Kids grow up so early these days’? Exposed to pornography and sexualised images in the media, our children become concerned about their bodies and relationships well before they hit puberty.

Renowned sex therapist and educator, and author of the best-selling Teen Sex By the Book, Dr Patricia Weerakoon, has seen the need to help preteens cope with the challenges of growing up in today’s world:

‘ Research shows us that children as young as 7 and 8 have body image issues and eating disorders. The average age of first exposure to pornography is just 11 years of age—which realistically means that even younger children are seeing sexual images on smartphones and computers. Popular music, computer games and the media promote promiscuity and unrealistic body images. All of these messages make puberty even more confusing than just body changes and mood swings.

In talking with teenagers and their parents in schools and churches, I am continually asked to write a book for preteens that deals with more than just the biological changes of puberty. Parents want a book that gives their children a solid Christian foundation, not only of sex, but of personal identity and body image as they grow into adulthood.’

Written for kids aged 10–14, Growing Up By The Book provides a clear Bible-based approach to puberty that encourages them to:

• have a positive, realistic view of their own body
• understand that their brain development—and ultimately their adult thinking—is impacted by what they process and feed their brain now
• base their identity on who they are in Christ and not on the pleasure-based and performance-driven values the world aspires to.

The book encourages open dialogue between the child reading the book and his/her parents with ‘Ask Mum and Dad’ questions in each topic. Based on questions asked by preteens, the A–Z section in Part 2 covers topics such as homosexuality, bullying, masturbation, oral sex and depression with age-appropriate language and sensitivity.

‘This book is not just about preparing your 10–14 year old for their path into adulthood; it’s about preparing them to be the best person they can be in Christ Jesus. And it’s about taking that journey walking alongside you, their parent’, says Dr Weerakoon.