What do you do?

I am a family peacemaker and teen translator.  In other words I love working with families and youth! I wrote a parenting book from the kid’s perspective when I was 17 called “You’re Grounded!” and started my blog, RadicalParenting.com.  I am now a professional blogger and family peacemaker where I work with families, speak to schools and hold seminars on how parents and kids can get along.

Tell us about your book and blog.

HOORAY! Finally, parenting advice from the kid’s perspective! It’s usually impossible to get more than one-word-answers from us, but with my book “You’re Grounded!” and my blog, I hope I can be honest about real issues that teens and pre-teens are dealing with, so you, the parents, can actually understand us (well at least a small part of our world)…and we can finally develop better relationships. It has tear-out sections for teens and for parents!

Why did you write it?

I was so tired of fighting with my parents and I knew other teens must be going through what I was going through.  I wanted to let them know they were not alone and there were things they can do to shift the patterns with their parents.  I also wanted to give parents some insight into the teen mind and why we do what we do so they do not feel so alone.

I was also grounded and very, very angry at my parents.  I could not talk on the phone, do internet, --nothing! Luckily I decided to put practical application to my anger and my lack of freedom.

What makes you an expert in your field?

I am young enough to understand what teens are going through, but old enough to not be in too deep to see the light.  I also get thousands of emails and calls from teens and parents every week.  A lot of what I do is not necessarily giving advice, but rather, translating what I hear into digestible steps and insights.

What type of people should read your book?

It is for both parents and teens! Parents of tweens also really benefit by getting in there early.

Are you on any social networks? Eg. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Yes! Vvanpetten on twiiter, Vanessa Van Petten on Facebook and vvanpetten on Stumbleupon, friend me!

Advice for Teens or Parents of Teens

Parenting teens should not be like riding on a cruise boat.  It is ok to feel the waves! Teens come back to port eventually even if you feel like you are having a tough time on the high seas.

Favorite Quote

“Speak ill of no one and speak all the good of everyone you know.” –Benjamin Franklin

Favorite Theme Park

Knotts Berry Farm for the Funnel Cake and Fried Chicken!

How can we purchase your book? Learn more about you? Do you have a blog?

Our blog written by our fabulous teen writers is at: http://www.radicalparenting.com

You can buy You’re Grounded here:

http://www.radicalparenting.com/books-and-products/book-youre-grounded/

You can buy Dirt-E Secrets of An Internet Kid here:

http://www.radicalparenting.com/books-and-products/the-dirt-e-secrets-of-an-internet-kid/

Favorite articles:

Teacup Parenting: Is your Child too Fragile? Here I delve into the four different types of kids I see today and what their pitfalls and strengths are!

Cotton Candy Friends How social networking, IMing, texting and the Internet are changing teen’s friendships

10 Rules Kids Wished Their Parents Lived By Here are our radical parenting principles put together by Vanessa and our Teen Team of how we wish parenting would be.

50 Best Mom Blogs Parents always ask us “which websites should I read?” Here we did a complete overview of our favorite mommy bloggers across the net with reviews, favorite articles and descriptions.