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Growing Great Kids
Compulsory reading for parents, teachers, youth workers and anyone who has anything to do with young people.
A must-have book for all parents, youth workers and teenagers on parenting and raising children. Catholic priests don't generally have children but Australian legend Father Chris Riley has brought up about 60,000 - and they're some of the toughest kids around. He regularly encounters some of the most troubled children on earth - kids who have given up or refuse to talk to others, who steal, take drugs, see themselves as irredeemable failures, hate everyone and everything, self-harm, have been abused or abuse other kids, prostitute themselves, live on the streets or have rejected anyone who's ever tried to help them. But he's nearly always managed to find a way through to them, and to help them. And whilst the vast majority of Australian kids don't have the magnitude of problems he sees in his work every day, the lessons he's learnt from them are invaluable to all parents. How can most parents relate to the kind of problems and pressures their children face today? How can they cope when things come off the rails? How can they really talk to their children in a meaningful way when it seems that their kids just don't want to listen? Growing Pains is the one book all parents - and their kids - should have on their shelves. It will prove a priceless guide through the maze of childhood and adolescence for both parents and their children and, with so many real life stories to tug on the heart-strings, the kind of gripping read no one will be able to put down.
A must-have book for all parents, youth workers and teenagers on parenting and raising children. Catholic priests don't generally have children but Australian legend Father Chris Riley has brought up about 60,000 - and they're some of the toughest kids around. He regularly encounters some of the most troubled children on earth - kids who have given up or refuse to talk to others, who steal, take drugs, see themselves as irredeemable failures, hate everyone and everything, self-harm, have been abused or abuse other kids, prostitute themselves, live on the streets or have rejected anyone who's ever tried to help them. But he's nearly always managed to find a way through to them, and to help them. And whilst the vast majority of Australian kids don't have the magnitude of problems he sees in his work every day, the lessons he's learnt from them are invaluable to all parents. How can most parents relate to the kind of problems and pressures their children face today? How can they cope when things come off the rails? How can they really talk to their children in a meaningful way when it seems that their kids just don't want to listen? Growing Pains is the one book all parents - and their kids - should have on their shelves. It will prove a priceless guide through the maze of childhood and adolescence for both parents and their children and, with so many real life stories to tug on the heart-strings, the kind of gripping read no one will be able to put down.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2015
2 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Chris Riley
1 bookChristopher Keith Riley, SDB AM (24 November 1954 – 31 July 2025) was an Australian Roman Catholic priest. He was a member of the Salesian order and the founder and CEO of the charity Youth Off The Streets.
He was inspired by the movie Boys Town and went on to train as a teacher. He worked as a teacher, youth worker, probation officer, residential care worker and principal of the charity Boy's Town. In 1982 he was ordained a priest at Oakleigh, Victoria.
Riley was the founder and CEO of Youth Off The Streets and worked with disadvantaged youth for more than 35 years in a variety of roles including teacher, youth worker, probation officer, residential carer and principal. He officially founded Youth Off The Streets in 1991.
As CEO of Youth Off The Streets, Riley oversaw the operation of over 25 programs which employ over 180 staff and involve more than 250 volunteers. He implemented innovative behaviour modification strategies to help young people deal with a history of trauma, abuse and neglect. Many of these strategies have been adopted by schools across Australia and by government agencies. Riley believed there is no such thing as a "child born bad", but acknowledges that there are bad environments, circumstances and families that impact negatively on our young. "We must have the courage to demand greatness from our youth". - Wikipedia
He was inspired by the movie Boys Town and went on to train as a teacher. He worked as a teacher, youth worker, probation officer, residential care worker and principal of the charity Boy's Town. In 1982 he was ordained a priest at Oakleigh, Victoria.
Riley was the founder and CEO of Youth Off The Streets and worked with disadvantaged youth for more than 35 years in a variety of roles including teacher, youth worker, probation officer, residential carer and principal. He officially founded Youth Off The Streets in 1991.
As CEO of Youth Off The Streets, Riley oversaw the operation of over 25 programs which employ over 180 staff and involve more than 250 volunteers. He implemented innovative behaviour modification strategies to help young people deal with a history of trauma, abuse and neglect. Many of these strategies have been adopted by schools across Australia and by government agencies. Riley believed there is no such thing as a "child born bad", but acknowledges that there are bad environments, circumstances and families that impact negatively on our young. "We must have the courage to demand greatness from our youth". - Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 30, 2019
A grand commitment by Chris to young people, and then of writing this book. I enjoyed the stats, the knowledge, and the anecdotal stories of young people. As a youth worker, reading for my work, I found it interesting to get context in stats, to hear anecdotes to contrast my experiences and insights with and yet, at times I found it hard work to go through the areas aimed at parents, which came across as 'should dos' and not as relevant to me. I also noted that at one point Chris referred to a birth family as the real family, differentiating from the adoptive family. This is unhelpful language.
However, as a young person puts it to Chris, 'I dig how you show love'. I do too. Thank you.
However, as a young person puts it to Chris, 'I dig how you show love'. I do too. Thank you.
September 7, 2021
I love this book! This man Chris Riley is brilliant and is a wealth of knowledge! He has worked with many troubled youths and definitely knows how to make them feel special!
I lobe this quote he mentioned in the section about raising boys, which works for girls, too.
“There is no disgrace in losing, it’s about competing and how you compete.”
Four types of teenagers. (John Gray)
1. Teens that like to talk but they are not looking for advice at all. Needs to talk about their problems and complains.
2. Talk a lot, but very sensitive to criticism.
3. Responsive temperament and likes to change a lot. As they get older, they will be more stable.
4. Rigid and if parents try to change them, they resist.
Kids need to feel free to talk to their parents/ guardians.
I lobe this quote he mentioned in the section about raising boys, which works for girls, too.
“There is no disgrace in losing, it’s about competing and how you compete.”
Four types of teenagers. (John Gray)
1. Teens that like to talk but they are not looking for advice at all. Needs to talk about their problems and complains.
2. Talk a lot, but very sensitive to criticism.
3. Responsive temperament and likes to change a lot. As they get older, they will be more stable.
4. Rigid and if parents try to change them, they resist.
Kids need to feel free to talk to their parents/ guardians.
December 20, 2015
(Audiobook) What a fantastic book. Father Chris Riley has worked with the toughest kids in Australia. These are very troubled kids who have been used and abused with a lot of baggage. This is defiantly a must read for anyone who works with troubled youth. Father Chris Riley has a wealth of knowledge. I've been an admirer of his work since 'Youth off the streets'. This is the second book I've read of his.
October 5, 2015
4.5 stars. Littered with gut wrenching statistics and some truely amazing stories that make you realise just how lucky you are. An amazing man that started an amazing thing.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews