AFSCME Member Brenda Hayes Writes Book for Parents, Teens

Moving Out and Moving On. What started out as words of advice for her college-bound daughter became the start of a new book for teens and their parents by Brenda Hayes, an AFSCME member and Police Service Rep. at the Hollenbeck Station.

In the newly released Moving Out and Moving On, published by Milligan Books, Hayes offers words of advice for teens and their parents. Hayes drew upon her own warnings to her 18-year-old daughter, Courtney, who will attend U.C. Irvine in the fall. In her book covering dating to personal credit to self esteem, Hayes warns teens of falling for “Casper,” the guys who disappears around the holidays to avoid buying gifts, or “Night Rider,” the boys who come around when it’s convenient “but don’t want to show you a nice time.”

“It didn’t start out as a book. It was something for my daughter,” said Hayes, 49. “But then I thought, ‘You know what. Someone else needs this as well.’”

As a mother, it was always important for her to touch on important life lessons for her daughter, who as an only child does not have siblings to talk about important issues with. Hayes said that when she, herself, was growing up, it was "taboo to mention sex or certain subjects."

Hayes said the most important advice she has for parents is to talk to their daughters.

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“Open up, talk to your daughter. Let them feel comfortable talking to you. If we don’t teach them, the streets will,” she said.

It is crucial for teenage girls to believe in themselves, she said

So far, she said, the most important reviewer has good things to say about the book.

“My daughter gave it a thumbs up,” she said.

Moving Out and Moving On can be bought online at Milliganbooks.com. The book will also be available at Barnes and Noble beginning at the end of August.