Always My Child: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Your Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, or Questioning Son or Daughter [Paperback]

The first book to focus on the day-to-day experiences of adolescents dealing with sexual identity issues,Always My Childprovides the insights and practical strategies parents need to support their kids and cope themselves.

Parents whose children are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or who are going through a questioning phase are often in the dark about what their children face every day. As a result, offering support that will comfort and fortify them feels like solving a puzzle with missing pieces.
InAlways My Child,Kevin Jennings supplies the missing pieces by guiding parents through the world their child inhabits. He explains what these teens often encounter -- teasing and harassment -- and offers solutions for parents who want to better understand their LGBTQ children and learn how to protect their self-esteem. He offers advice, including how to:

• Initiate constructive communication with their child
  
• Respond effectively to frequently asked questions
  
• Recognize depression and signs of drug abuse and harassment
  
• Successfully advocate for their child's well-being outside the home
  

Always My Childmakes it possible for parents to create the kind of relationship with their children that allows them to grow into emotionally healthy adults.Kevin Jennings is cofounder and executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and a Harvard graduate.Introduction

When I was growing up in rural North Carolina in the 1970s, I honestly thought I would grow up to be President. After all, that was my birthright as an American. I lived in a country where anyone who was determined and worked hard enough could aspire to the highest office in the land. I planned to live out that American dream.

However, from an early age, I realized that something was amiss.

I knew I was gay long before I had heard that word or knew what it mlƒO