“Before anything else,
preparation is the key to success.”
~ Alexander Graham Bell

In most sports, there are three seasons: the preseason, the regular season, and the playoffs. The preseason is the time when coaches and players prepare for the regular season. The coaching staff communicates their vision and goals for the team for that season and confirms the values the team will embrace. They prepare for specific situations they will face throughout the season and practice the fundamentals of their sport. They work hard to prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally. They follow a specific training manual; and they have fun together. Each player is celebrated for the unique talents they bring to the team.

The Thirteenities: leading tweens to lives of greatness and goodness is like a preseason training manual for parents whose children have not yet entered the teenage years.

If you have, or soon will have, a tween, this book is for you. It will help you prepare for your child becoming a teenager and ultimately an independent, mature adult. The adolescent years are both fun and frightening for parents; and for their children. I believe it is an amazing season of life. A season of change and overcoming challenges. A season of growth and development. A season of struggle, success, and satisfaction. A true coming-of-age that everyone experiences.

I personally invite every parent to investigate The Thirteenities. The book and supplementary teaching is not quick fix or 3 step program to change the way your child behaves. In fact, it is much greater. It is a transformational approach to parenting that begins with changing our mindset as parents, not just trying to change our children.

On behalf of your children, I want to thank you for taking the time and making the effort to prepare yourself and them for their teenage season. I wish you extraordinary success as parents.

Purchase now on Amazon.ca or Amazon.com

Martti Pajunen is a Canadian writer, inspirational speaker, and Life Celebration Specialist. Born and raised in Kitchener Ontario, the second oldest of 4 boys and the son of a Sr. Elementary school teacher, Martti grew up playing hockey, loving the outdoors, and appreciating the value of learning life lessons through his family, school, and youth group.

For over 25 years, Martti has worked as youth organization consultant, college professor, and professional Youth Worker.

He has worked as an event planner with numerous professional sports teams in creating and running big events for students.

As a Licensed Wedding Officiant and Certified Funeral Celebrant, Martti has conducted over 1700 weddings ceremonies and 700 funeral services, serving people from all walks of life.

He is the lead facilitator of the “From the Ground Up”, a corporate team-building exercise program at Strom’s Farm in Guelph, Ontario.

He has mentored dozens of couples as a Certified Relationship Coach.

He recently entered the fashion industry when he launched marties, a division of the Olive and Arthur Clothing Company in Cambridge, Ontario where they produces sophisticated wedding bow tie sets from recycled, and sometimes memory, fabric.

Martti recent book, The Thirteenities: leading tweens to loves of greatness and goodness, is the teaching piece of a movement seeking to transform how parents of tweens view their role, from that of an adult friend to becoming a benevolent leader.

His warmth in communicating and humorous stories invites parents to not only investigate, but to actually commit to leading their children to lives of greatness and goodness. Martti enjoys hockey, motorcycling, stand-up comedy, and attending the occasional blues festival.