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Be Happy Be You: The Teenage Guide – A positive and insightful guide for teenagers giving them the tools they need to build confidence, eliminate negative feelings and boost happiness in all areas of life. From the best-selling authors behind Create Your Own Happy.
Just as I thought that I was finally starting to understand the tween years, Roo continues to grow and became a fully-fledged teenager last year. Opening the door to a whole new set of hormones, issues and misunderstandings. Suddenly I am acutely aware of my own teenage years and just how much kinder I should have been to my own mum.
Navigating these years can be fraught at the best of times not only for us parents but for the teenager who is attempting to understand the world around them. From their hormones, friendships, happiness and the greater good. Thankfully to aid them through these trials and tribulations is a hands-on, thought-provoking book – Be Happy Be You: The Teenage Guide by Penny Alexander and Becky Goddard-Hill.
Be Happy Be You: The Teenage Guide
Time to open up the big red book and discover just how important happiness is in our lives. Reaffirming that happiness is a choice, rather than just solely down to chance. The book is split into three main sections, providing reading material, hints, tips and exercises for teens to complete depending on the area in which is proving difficult for them at that given time.
If you are thinking of gifting this book, may I suggest partnering it with a journal so that they are able to write, draw and mind-map their ideas from the exercises within this book.
The book features 40 different prompts/activities set across the three key sections. Each one includes a quote from a range of authors, celebrities, philosophers and proverbs.
Happy You
Covering aspects of how teens need to focus on their own happiness. Discovering what the three different types of happiness are. As well as understanding that the only person that they will have by their side every day of their lives is themselves. Highlight just how important is it that their happiness has in all aspects of their lives.
Happy Relationships
When it comes to relationships with parents, siblings, the wider family and even friends, it can sometimes feel as though the world is out to get teens. Parents will nag about dirty washing, siblings will be… well siblings and take the opportunity to sense a weakness in their mood and wind them up. Friendships are difficult no matter what age you are but the teenage years can be fraught with complex emotions.
This section covers the dynamics that come with connecting with others and how to understand your own personality traits when it comes to being an introvert or an extrovert. Packed full of hints, tips and ideas on how to help improve relationships with others.
Happy World
Each and every one of us has a part to play in the world around us. This section focuses on the ways in which teens can help make the world a happier place. Giving them ideas on how they can make a stranger smile. Volunteer or join a team to provide ongoing support and encouragement to others.
What we thought of Be Happy Be You: The Teenage Guide
A parents point of view
I have to confess to reading through this book before giving it to Roo and whilst this might be aimed at teenagers, there is so much that we as parents can take from the book too. From working on our own happiness and not getting bogged down with trivial things in life. To understand how to interact with family members, friends and those we come into contact with across the course of a week. As well as how the simple things in life such as a smile to a stranger or a hello to a neighbour can brighten a day.
Thoughts from a teenager
The bright and colourful design of the book was inviting rather than just a ‘self-help’ book that they try to give you at school during SME lessons. The different sections each come with an introduction which is great for getting an idea of how it can help to depend on the area I’m looking to focus on.
Each of the activities provides a good mixture of reading material to help me understand what I need to focus on. Whilst the activities allow me to write, draw and mind-map to get the thoughts out of my head and onto paper. This is a book that I will pull off the bookshelf time and time again as I journey through my high school years and come across a new challenge.
Where can you buy the Be Happy Be You Book?
The Be Happy Be You: The Teenage Guide is available to buy from Amazon, Sainsbury’s and all other leading book retailers.
About the authors
Penny Alexander
Penny Alexander worked for 7 years in secondary schools teaching Drama, Film, and as a Head of Media Studies, after which she became an education consultant. When she had her children she became a full-time blogger and brand journalist. In 2013, Penny won a MAD blog award for her work for Comic Relief.
Becky Goddard-Hill
Becky Goddard-Hill is a former social worker and child development trainer. She also holds a postgraduate diploma in Psychotherapy and is a certified life coach. She now runs 6 blogs, all highly ranked within the UK, predominantly on creative family life, supportive communities and emotional wellbeing.
Take a look at her family-budgeting blog.
