What Girls Have to Say

Kathy, 14, Santa Rosa
I am the girl in the chapter, "Why are You Rushing To Have Sex." This book helped me to not feel awkward and embarrassed when I talk about these topics with my parents.

Heather 15, Ocala, Fla.
Flipping through the book and reviewing its table of contents, I was a little hesitant. The topics were subjects that hadn't really crossed my mind lately, and now that these issues had resurfaced, I was a little nervous! Not many people like to talk about sensitive subjects like confidence and self-esteem, manipulative boys and statistics about sex and drugs, including me. But when I started to read the book, I felt immediately at ease. Richard Dudum made it feel as if he were right there, trying to help me through the consequences of life. His choice of words made him seem more like a friend than a parent. Though I must say that sometimes he was blunt-really blunt! He acknowledges this and said he needed to be blunt because these subjects aren't necessarily easy to talk about. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would recommend it because every girl needs to be aware of how to survive in this crazy world. If it helped me reach a better understanding of how life works, it will definitely help many girls out there who are struggling.

Susan, 18, Boston
I wish more than ever that this book had been available when I was in high school. It would have saved me a lot of hurt and pain. It is a true survival guide for both girls and boys.

Maria, 19, San Jose
Odd how at age sixteen, I found myself waking up in a random car having vomit stains on my sleeves and pants, missing my purse, keys, cell phone, and shoes; having blacked out the night before was not a good enough wake up call. I pushed that snooze button in my head and pushed away any worries about the night before just to blatantly ignore what was staring me in the face.

I'm Maria, the girl in the chapter "You Dodged a Bullet-This Time," who just never saw the obvious. Never underestimate the power of denial, huh?

I can honestly say, I must have an angel on my shoulder because I really wonder how I'm alive. Enough was never enough from me, and it's not because I didn't know when to say "no," or that I came from a bad family, or I had no friends. I was well educated, well brought-up, and well supported by friends, but I was in a way asleep--living my parents' worst nightmare. I saw therapists, I read books, I wrote in journals, but nothing made me want to help myself; I saw nothing wrong.

I just wasn't prepared to be bombarded by alcohol, drugs, and sex from the time I was thirteen years old. So I dealt with it the only way I could think of--by just doing what I wanted and not thinking about it.

What Your Mother Never Told You doesn't make me feel bad about myself nor does it make me feel pressured to stay cooped up in a closet for the rest of my life and never go out. This book made me more conscious of me and what that means.

Looking back at some of the not-so-great-times, I now realize I was drowning; sometimes I wanted to scream so badly but nothing could come out. This book is fresh air. After reading it, I literally sat back and sighed because I had just become reacquainted with who I actually am and who I want to be.

What Your Mother Never Told You isn't just a book I will read once and put down; it's a book I will want to return to at different times, finding new meaning each time. I only hope that other teenage girls read the book with the same open mind and heart that I did. It's worth it."

Tina, 30, San Mateo
I'm the girl in the "Your Special--That's Bullshit" chapter. I remember Rick's lecture fifteen years ago and I remember that manipulative boy six years later. Rick was right. He was full of IT and I dodged a bullet! I hope the girls realize how powerful the words are in Rick's book, like I did. It feels good to be in control, and the more the girls understand that, the better and stronger they will be.

Email me with your thoughts: whatyourmothernevertoldyou@yahoo.com