Customer Reviews:
 Great Read for Launching Your Teen September 2, 2008
I read this book only about a month before my son left for college across the country. I was feeling anxious, melancholic and woefully unprepared. It's not that I didn't want my son to be wildly successful in his adult life, but I was struggling to reconcile my hopes and dreams for him versus my protective and cling-y motherly nature knowing I would miss him terribly. This book was exactly what I needed. It not only empathized with what I was feeling but helped me to think differently about this season of life. There is life after the children leave, and here are thoughts and perspectives (much of it Biblical) to think about during this sensitive time. Bottom line: This book was a great comfort to me. I recommend this book for anyone who has teenagers...the earlier you read it the more helpful it is. The book also addresses a number of life skills that parents may not (wish to) think about until the teens are practically out of the house (e.g. managing money, facing peer pressure to experiment with drugs and pre-maritzl sex, self-discipline in study habits, personal living habits living in a dorm, etc.) In the back of my mind, I thought I had so much time to teach my son about all these. But the time went by so fast and all of a sudden he was leaving for college. This book helps you to prep your teens early for this big step of leaving home for college, military service, getting married or just moving out of the parent's home.
Excellent Advice for Parents! March 1, 2008
This book is packed with practical advice for parents whose children will soon be leaving the nest or have recently left. Without claiming to have all the answers, Carol sprinkles real-life examples from her family throughout the book, giving some excellent insights as to how she implemented her own advice in her family.
Some parents may have a hard time letting their young adult children grow up. This book shows how the gradual shift from a child's dependence to independence can take place with a minimum of conflict when parents step back and let their young people take responsibility for their actions and decisions, while still being supportive and loving.
Carol shows how it is not necessarily "rebellion" when a young person does things differently from the way his parents do, but these actions are probably just signs of that young person's trying to become more independent. Do we really expect our children to be duplicate copies of ourselves? No; we want them to grow up and be independent. Carol brings out the fact that young people need to be free to try their own styles, not be crammed into a mold.
Having four children ages 17-21, my husband and I found this book to be an excellent resource. We highly recommend it!
Great food for thought, as a parent August 18, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Carol Kuykendall provides good insights as she warmly recounts her experience in supporting her teenagers transition through high school and into college. Many suggestions are based on how God loves us, which of course is a great model for how we can love our teenagers. (Many of us act like we are teenagers in responding to God!) "Give Them Wings" has been very helpful for us to think through the changes, understand how our teenagers think and feel, how we might be feeling, and to adjust accordingly. Nicely written. Not a detailed manual but it isn't meant to serve that purpose (I ordered another book for that)
Great insight for dads and moms. September 18, 2005
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book helped me to understand the thoughts and emotions of my son, a Senior in High School better. Also, it put to rest some of my fears and concerns of him going off to college. Knowing what to expect and not to expect is very helpful.
 I should have read this book years ago! January 14, 2001
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
Parenting a teenager is difficult. The relationship is easily strained. You want them to fly high and strong when they leave the nest. Carol gives many helpful suggestions through examples of her own experiences. A must read for parents of children at any age.
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