1001 Things Every Teen Should Know Before They Leave Home

by Harry H. Harrison Jr.

Adult teens think they're ready to live on their own, but are they?
Will they know how to pick a good room mate? Buy a car? Create a budget and actually live on one? From changing the oil to applying for jobs, best-selling author Harry H. Harrison, Jr. has compiled the definitive book for preparing your teen to live on their own. Or else they might come back!

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Parenting

304 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2007

About the author

Harry H. Harrison Jr. is a parenting expert and author of 1,001 Things It Means to Be a Dad and other 1,001 Things books from Thomas Nelson. For many years, he operated his own award-winning creative consultancy firm, Harrison Creative Directions.

Reviews

[Gauri · Rating 1 out of 5]

This will appeal to angry conservative Christian parents who are frustrated with their children.
"74. They should know that talking like a rapper will scare people."
"72. They should know that the way they dress at eight p.m. will make them look irresponsible at 8 a.m."
"115. They should know what Marxism is. Any why a Marxist candidate for a even dogcatcher isn't a good idea."

If you give this to a young adult (ages 18 - 24) and they find that the information is new to them, then they need a lot more help than this book.
"608. They should know the addition of fluoride in water reduces cavities."

It seems sometimes, the author patronizingly addresses the caricature of a milennial, perhaps to blow off steam, and not from a viewpoint of a man that actually cares about young people.
"575. They should know tanning beds -- surprise!!! -- causes skin cancer."

And it's very rigid on religion.
"49. They should know that if they get laid off, it doesn't mean they'll spend the rest of their lives in a Chevrolet. It just means God has other plans."
"113. They should know to read the Bible before they argue about it."

Hate just radiates from these pages.

[e · Rating 1 out of 5]

my parents gave this to me as a high school graduation gift i think because i had long hair and quit my job when i realized it was empty and soul crushing. fucking masterpiece.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book should be called, "1001 Things Every Christian, Dimwitted Teen Should Know Before They Leave Home." Peppered in with the few good facts and tips (see the financial and work-related sections) were sentimental, religiously biased chapters that dolled out sugary philosophy and skimped on fact.

This book not only offensively ignores the millions of Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Scientologist, and yes, atheist, teenagers of the world, it also gives a lot of obvious, dull facts that I barely skimmed.

This book was helpful in a few ways, but they were so few that I wouldn't recommend reading it for help when you move out.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers common sense pointers for teenagers on handling well the whatever life throws at you, from difficulties to money management, from working well to keeping house, from relationships to developing spiritual maturity. The points are too many and too potent to be read through all at once; each one needs to be reflected upon before moving on to the next. The author is Christian and most of his advice reflects his beliefs.

The section on relationships includes some things which need qualifying. While he recommends waiting for marriage, he mentions the need for birth control, both the pill (including its side effects) and the need to know how to use a condom, within or outside of marriage. His point on not confusing emotional intimacy with sexual intimacy is true in the sense that you shouldn't seek sex to gain emotional intimacy. Yet he says that 'sex has nothing to do with feeling respected, admired, worthy, and loved', but relationships including sex (ideally married) should be about the whole person and should aim to make the person feel respected, admired, worthy and loved.

For teens who can take the good from this advice without becoming too prescriptive, and who can see their way around the less clear areas above, much profit could be gained by considering one point per day. Even more could be gained by using each point to start a discussion between teens and parents, if only a way were found to do this.

[Stacy Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grabbed this book for my teen and it is FANTASTIC. It exceeded expectations. Full of practical, life advice. And it’s stuff you actually need to know. It’s written in bullet form which I appreciate so you can read 1 or you can read 10.
Did I agree with all of it? No. I made notes as I read. I plan to put this on our kitchen table to use as conversation starters.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some good tips, but way too many sanctimonious threats.

[SlimyBoiXD · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so bad it makes me laugh. There are a couple of good tips in there and I'm a Christain so that last little bit at the end talking about spirituality still applied to me but not everyone who isn't a Christain moves back in with their parents after a few years of living on their own. That's such a demeaning thing to write. Additionally, it's fatphobic; suggesting that if you need to suck in your stomach to button your pants it's not because you need to buy bigger pants it's because you're fat and if you're fat you have to move back home with your parents. Also, this book claims that having a "teenage" vocabulary means you will not have a job in the future and the vast majority of the words that were listed as "adult" words were not only useless to anyone who isn't a writer but were also words I used in my Freshman year of high school. That entire section also completely disregards the existence of thesauruses. You don't have to use words like that in your day-to-day speech unless you're professionally a public speaker and if you're going to write something important you can look up the synonyms. I mean, really, the whole thing was insulting and inaccurate as well as being useless. Even if the little tips were accurate, there's no information on them or extra explanation. "They should know the art of small talk" and then proceeding to say nothing about how small talk is actually done or even giving examples is not remotely helpful. The argument could be made that people reading this book should already know how to perform small talk, but on that point, it shouldn't be in the book.

Anyways, TLDR: There are 96 words for stupid, and this book is all of them.

[Sarah Weiner · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are some useful lessons in here.

Unfortunately, the book is spoiled by sexism and proselytizing. The book claims that anyone who decides to abort a pregnancy or divorce their spouse will feel shame for the rest of their lives. It also has a whole section devoted to worshipping a Christian god. To be clear, I would have no problem with this chapter if the book was advertised as religious, however I do think it is irresponsible for a book with a secular appearance and premise to push any religion, especially at page 260.

[Della Tingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I were cleaning her room and going through her books. This is one she was getting rid of, so I brought it home to read it first. It is a great read! Though geared to teens, there are many, many worthwhile nuggets for people of any age! I am now passing this on to my 19 year old son!

[Natalia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book. It is full of pointless advise trying to be funny but actually annoying and preachy. I did not realize it was written by the same author as “1001 things every college student needs to know “ which I also hated. These two books are very similar and both did not work for me.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s like a little, short reference guide of what to research. Some of the advice was common sense, which unfortunately not everyone has. Some of the advice was where to look for real, useful help. All of it was to point back to God.

[Tez Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read with serious lessons for parents. Loved it. Very wise advice. Like reading modern Proverbs.

[Millay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely educational! Also, not just for teens, adults can really learn from this book as well.

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

What is this guy’s vendetta against plasma TVs?

[Sara Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many great tips on things to know before you move out and if you are already out on your own great tips on what you should learn quickly if you don't already know.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. After 1/8 of it, got bored. Too outdated and redundant.

[Christi Koenig]

Skimmed. Very religious leaning to a lot of the advice.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know, I know. I'm not a teen, nor am I raising teens. However, my brain still thinks I'm a teen, so I thought it should know some more stuff about being an adult. Perhaps this will help it realize that I'm supposed to be a grown-up now. (Please excuse me whilst I shudder.)

First complaint: Is it really necessary to write "They should know" 1,001 times? Every single item started with "They should know". How about starting the book with "They should know…" and each item finishes the sentence?

"1) …how to dress themselves.
"2) …how to wipe their butt.
"3) …to ask a lot of questions."

Is that such a ridiculous idea. Reading "They should know" 1001 times is a waste of my time. "So skip that part!" you say. Fabulous idea! Except that I inevitably found myself skipping the first 6 or 7 words or the first line, being confused, then having to go back and reread the whole thing again. Even more time wasted! Score.

On page 139, #455: "They should know the necessities of life – cable TV, satellite radio, a new cell phone – won't be acquired without an enormous amount of hassle." Please tell me Harrison is being facetious here. Anyone? Those are not the necessities of life. Try food, clothing, shelter, and socializing. 'Cause I'm 26 and have never had cable tv, satellite radio, or a new cell phone. (I do have a cell phone. It was 6 years old when my mother got it for me.) So either these things are necessities, or I'm the walking undead. Get out your cast iron pot-helmets or I just might eat your brains!

On page, 187, #632: "They should know to close the lid before flushing. Especially if toothbrushes and washrags are sitting nearby." Pardon my passive-aggressivity, but, see, Dad? Mom and I aren't the only loons who think this is a good idea.

Conclusion: Some tips that are helpful, especially in the big-ticket-item-shopping sections (car, house/apartment…). But mostly, I already knew that I need to know these things. I just don't know them (like cooking). Between the I-know-I-need-to-learn-that factor and the Are-you-seriously-going-to-say-that-1001-times? factor, not thrilled. Just shy of wasting my time. 2 stars.

[Faye · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just pointless. I first picked this up because I didn't have anything else to read. It was just lying around, and I was desperate.

Basically, the book has 1001 things that teens should know before they leave home. I don't mean to sound arrogant or anything, but I already knew 80% of these things. That's probably because I go with my mom to a lot of "adult" things. And also because I get tons of lectures about independent living. I still have a couple years before college, and this didn't offer anything new to me.

The other 20% was basically on stuff I didn't know much about, like interviews and some stuff about buying cars and home repair. But I bet I'm going to forget it.

Also, I think this book makes teenagers look dumb. I know that in high school, there is tons of preparation and classes going into being prepared for college. At least, in my area, there is. Teenagers should know not to talk like a rapper, waste money on booze, and be responsible. Sure, tons of teenagers still do this stuff, but should know not to. It's practically drilled into them.

A lot of this is my personal opinion, since I know I won't be partying and drinking and spending money like crazy. I'm more of a read-a-book-in-a-quiet-area kind of person. There was so much repetition for things related to that. Blegh.

Some of the things were inspiring, but overall, there was just a lack of actual information, and I felt offended by the book. It seems to downgrade teenagers. But those irresponsible people that this book constantly mentions SHOULD read it. They're the ones that need it.

[Leon Baxter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this once before when my oldest daughter was a senior in high school. Then, I tried giving it to her to read herself. She was having none of it. So, there it stayed on my bookshelf. Now my youngest daughter has recently graduated high school and I thought I'd read it again. And, I could tell halfway through it that she would not be up for it. It's because my girls weren't ready for this information when I wanted them to read it. My oldest, just about to graduate, would appreciate it now that she's been out on her own and have come across situations in the book. So, I'll be trying to hand it to her again.

That being said, about 15% of the book was a slick, underhanded way to influence readers to think the way Harry H. Harrison wants them to think. The other 85% is golden, but the religious, political and gender roles parts slipped in could make this book end up on the trash pile, because if an impressionable young person reads something about Communists, or prayer or what a man is supposed to be and they have strongly opposong views, then the parts about keeping your house clean, how to handle money, and what to do at an interview may be looked at with suspicion, too. I know Harrison is a devout Christian, but unless the book was named, "1001 Things Every Christian Teen Should Know Before They Leave Home" those opinions should not have appeared in this book.

If Harrison removed those personal beliefs and kept in "851 Things..."

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much of the advice in here is good, though quite a bit of it is also fairly obvious (if cleverly phrased). The thing I like least, though, is that Harrison's tone alternates between condescending and belligerent. This book feels like it was written with parents, rather than teens, in mind as an audience (the fact that it says "they need to know that..." instead of "You need to know that..." serves as further evidence of this, in my mind). I don't know why anyone would voluntarily read an advice book that refers to them in terms like "they need to know not to look stupid because people will notice" and "they should know enough math skills to determine if they can pass up the next gas station". Ouch.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up because I'm about to graduate High School and I thought I'd see if there was anything I could learn from it. I thought it had a lot of great advice that some seems like common sense but needed to be said anyway. And other advice seemed like even adults didn't know. It is kind if Christian based but not enough to really be annoying and in your face. It has a lot of Christian values that people should have in their life anyway. It was an interesting read. I learned a bunch of random things that I think I'll definitely use in the future, weather it be near or far future.

[Anthony Quattrochi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book at all. Most of the information is really trivial and nothing past common sense. I also didn't realize it when I bought it, but there is a HUGE amount of Christianity being pushed on you. Be warned if you are not buying this for someone who is a Christian, it's not really a good fit. There is way too much religion for it to apply to a secular person's life, but at the same time, if you ARE a Christian, maybe this book is for you! The tips though are extremely basic.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit too religious, political and conservative in some places for my taste. But overall a quick, fun read with lots of good advice! Wow, the author was apparenlty really hung-up on NOT having his kids move back home though. The "not move back home" seemed to be much more of an emphasis than the "be prepared for the real world."

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting...a lot of these things just get taught in every day life, but others would have to be worked on...I wonder if they have a checklist...

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The was a great book!
I learned a lot of stuff.
Every teen should read this, I think it would really help them prepare for life without Mom and Dad.

[Allison Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the most helpful book I've ever had the pleasure of reading. So far I've been laughing all the way through!

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute gift book for someone graduating. Some true pearls of wisdom.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ APR 2017

Nice compilation of things in a wide array of categories for teens to transition into adulthood.