Charles Stone - Daughters Gone Wild, Dads Gone Crazy: Battle-Tested Tips From a Father and Daughter Who Survived the Teenage Years

daughters gone WILD

dads gone CRAZY

Battle-Tested Tips from a
Father and Daughter
Who survived the Teen Years

CHARLES STONE AND HEATHER STONE

DAUGHTERS GONE WILDDADS GONE CRAZY

Copyright 2004 by Charles Stone and Heather Stone. Published by W Publishing Group, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., P. O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotation in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Other Scripture references are from the following sources:

The Message (MSG), copyright 1993. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

New American Standard Bible (NASB), 1960, 1977 by the Lockman Foundation.

The Contemporary English Version (CEV) 1991 by the American Bible Society. Used by permission.

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996). Used by permission.

Interior design by Inside Out Design & Typesetting,
Fort Worth, Texas

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stone, Charles, 1954

Daughters gone wilddads gone crazy : battle-tested tips from a father and daughter who survived the teen years / Charles Stone and Heather Stone.

p. cm.

Summary: Firsthand experience between a father and a rebellious daughter, and the steps they took to make the relationship better.Provided by publisher.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 0-8499-0434-X (trade paper)

1. ParentingReligious aspectsChristianity. 2. Parent and teenagerReligious aspectsChristianity. 3. Fathers and daughtersReligious aspectsChristianity. 4. Child rearingReligious aspectsChristianity. 5. Stone, Charles, 19546.

Stone, Heather, 1982 I. Stone, Heather 1982 II. Title.

BV4529. S86 2005

248.8'45dc22 2005000781

Printed in the United States of America
04 05 06 07 RRD 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Charles Stone

Before I acknowledge those who made this book possible, I must thank my wife, Sherryl. Not only did she write each Mom-to-Mom section, but her heart is imprinted into each word. For she, too, shared this journey with Heather and me.

My list of thanks for where I am in life would fill many pages. So Ive limited my thanks to those whove impacted my writing ministry. To Jan Johnson, who, at a writers conference taught this pre-novice to begin my writing career with articles. Thanks, Jan, for the sage advice. To Kristi Rector, who actually liked the first magazine article I ever wrote. Thanks, Kristi, for publishing it in Rev. Magazine. To the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference for teaching me how to write. Thanks, teachers and fellow writers, for sharing your craft with me. To Dave Talbot, who coordinates the Mount Hermon conference each year. Thanks, Dave, for interviewing Heather and me during the conferenceGod used those three minutes to throw open the door of opportunity. To Steve Laube, our original agent who landed our contract. Thanks, Steve, for believing in us. To my writers group in Modesto, California. Thanks, guys, for your friendship, critiques, and encouragement you gave me each time we met. To Greg Daniel, our editor at W Publishing Group. Thanks, Greg, for the gentle way you helped us improve the manuscript. To a kind, older woman who sat at my lunch table during a writers conference in 2002. I dont even know your name, but that day you told me that I should write the book with Heather. Thanks, maam, for the challenge. I never forgot it. One day on the other side Ill look you up to personally say, Thanks.God placed you in my life that day for such a time as this.

Heather Stone

I want to say thank you... thank you to all of the earth-bound angels who perhaps unknowingly touched my life and left an indelible mark on my soul; who taught me how to feel, how to express myself, how to love, and how to be fully alive. To Mrs. Dietz, for saving my life with your 2 a.m. prayers. I fully believe I wouldnt be here if it werent for you. To Jo, for being the beautiful person you are and for touching my very soul. Words are never enough. To Misty (mantis), and that night with the puzzle, for forgiveness, patience, for changing my life, and so much more. To Heather, my firecracker who is always, always there for me. To Nick, my oftentimes rock, for your unwavering strength, support, and gentleness. You make me feel safe. To Jackson, though you probably cant even understand what Im writing, I dont think Ive ever met anyone else who basks in the presence of God as you do. To Mrs. Kullman, for all your letters and prayers though we barely know each other. To all those at Joshua Wilderness Institute, Darin, the Bradens, Mr. Phillips, Norm, and everyone else: thank you for making my life something so much more than I ever imagined. To Paps, for hugs, love, and always believing I would turn around. To Karen, for your unconditional love and faithful prayers. To Granny and Papa, for your love, warmth, and prayers. To everyone else in my family, thank you. To Josh, for being a strong Christian man I can look up to. To Tiffany, for her strength, diligence, and pure heart. To Mom and Dad: in case one day goes by that I forget to say thisI love you, I love you, I love you. I wouldnt be the person I am today without each and every one of you. And to those I havent mentioned, you know who you are, I love you all and cant wait to be with you for eternity. To God be the glory forever and ever.

HOW TO GET THE MOST
OUT OF THIS BOOK

The most rewarding relationship a man can have,
beyond his relationship with his wife,
is with his daughter.

Charles Stone

A handful of fidgety people sat in the nearly empty room. We took our seats at the back, and after a few moments the bailiff barked his customary, All rise! A dark-haired judge emerged from the side door. He seemed to float to his bench in his ankle-length black robe. I could feel my shoulders begin to tighten as we nervously sat in courtroom A.

Charles and Sherryl Stone vs. Heather Stone: Case number 43. Please come forward, he bellowed.

The bailiff opened the waist-high swinging door that led to the judges bench. The judge motioned for us to sit at the well-worn Formica covered table in front of him. He peered over his black-rimmed glasses. So, whats the problem? he asked.

With a dry mouth I muttered, We just cant handle our oldest daughter anymore. She runs away, stays out all night with boys, uses drugs and alcohol, curses us, and skips school. Weve consulted a half-dozen psychologists. Weve pled with her, fought with her, and grounded her. Were desperate. We need your help.

He glared at her for what seemed like a full minute, glanced down at his notes, looked up, and began his stern discourse. Young lady, this is serious. Im placing you under house arrest and assigning you a probation officer. You