A review of the book Closing the Gap, which is aimed at improving parent/teen communications.
 Dr. Phil, move over.  Son, Jay McGraw, inherited the same dynamic personality as father.  Jay McGraw, author of Life Strategies for Teens, creates another New York Times bestseller with the publication of Closing the Gap.  Marketed as a tool in closing the communication gap between teenagers and parents, I found Closing the Gap useful for dealing my eleven year old as well.  Written as a tool for both parents and teenagers, Jay manages to revert from speaking to parents to speaking with teens seamlessly.  He addresses five major challenges in creating and keeping a good relationship between parent and child:  Dos and Don’ts for Parents and Teens Parent and Teen Myths Discovering Your Needs Tuning in to the Needs of Others Ten Ways to Bridge the Gap and Reconnect I first learned of Closing the Gap almost a year ago when I heard Jay interviewed on my favorite radio station.  He came across as a very self-assured young man with an understanding of personal relationships that many twice his age do not possess.  He was enthusiast about his subject and he moved easily from speaking to parents to addressing teens.  In his book, he does the same thing.  Jay illustrates his points first person accounts of his personal struggle with maintaining a relationship with his father, and third person accounts of how far apart parents and teens can grow.  I recommend the audio version over the book because Jay is such a dynamic speaker.  He exudes the kind of passion and energy needed to keep the listener’s full attention.  In Jay’s first bestseller, Life Strategies for Teens, he introduces the reader to ten life laws.  You either get it or you don’t. You create your own experience. People do what works. You cannot change what you do not acknowledge. Life rewards action. There is no reality, only perception. Life is managed; it is not cured. We teach people how to treat us. There is power in forgiveness. You have to name it before you can claim it.   As with Closing the Gap, not only will teens find these strategies, and the way Jay presents them, useful and interesting, but so will adults and pre-teens.   If you would like more information about Jay McGraw and his books, visit his website at www.jaymcgraw.com .