As God allows us to understand the mystery and marvel of brain science, we have the exciting opportunity to reexamine our assumptions about human behavior. Perhaps nowhere does this impact our lives more profoundly than when we think about raising children--especially teenagers. Where parents often see a sweet boy or girl who has morphed into an incomprehensible bundle of hormones and angst, what we really ought to be seeing is an amazing young adult whose brain is under heavy construction. And changing the way we see our teens will revolutionize our relationships with them. Organized by what we hear teens say--things like I'm bored, You just don't understand, Why are you freaking out?, I hate my life!, or Hold on . . . I just have to send this--this book helps parents develop compassion for their teens and discernment in parenting them as their brains are progressively remodeled. Rather than seeing the teen years as a time to simply hold on for dear life, Dr. Jeramy and Jerusha Clark show that they can be an amazing season of cultivating creativity, self-awareness, and passion for the things that really matter.

REVISED AND UPDATED 2011 EDITION The essence of adolescence hasn't changed since this book was first published in 2005. Their brains haven't skipped a growth spurt; their search for identity hasn't been called off or even detoured; they haven't forgotten how to speak with the ease of attitude. And yet, fingers fly across keys to a host of new adolescent domains--from texting to iTunes, from chats to anything-on-demand. This update traverses new adolescent territory, both charted and uncharted, to bring parents up-to-speed on what to expect and how to deal. Every teenager keeps secrets, and if you're like most parents, you worry about what your kids don't tell you--especially when they prefer text messages and social networking sites to face-to-face conversation. Now this popular guide has been revised and updated to address the challenges parents face with a wired and Web-savvy generation. Jenifer Lippincott and Robin Deutsch offer a deceptively simple plan for talking to your kids that's based on a simple set of rules: Teens need to stay safe, show respect, and keep in touch--online, and in real life.

Psychologist Bradley answers questions on puzzling teen behavior and why changes and growth in the brain affect actions of teenagers. He helps parents understand how to deal with these problems before they get out of hand.

By popular demand, New Zealand's most popular parenting writer has drawn on his extensive experience in family therapy and working with the country's most difficult teenagers to write the book that will save the sanity of parents everywhere. Once you've negotiated the terrors of toddlerdom and the perils of primary school you think you've got a pretty good handle on this parenting thing - then along comes Mother Nature with her horrible hormones and suddenly you're so far behind square one you're starting to wonder if this raging bundle of contradictions screaming at you was switched in the night by evil aliens. With his now trademark humour and pragmatic common sense approach, Nigel debunks the politically correct nightmare of perfect parenting and argues for sanity first - yours - and reclaiming the ground parents have lost in the great 'I'm my child's best friend' debacle. With international sales of BEFORE YOUR KIDS DRIVE YOU CRAZY, READ tHIS! in Israel, Portugal, Spain, Holland, Italy and Russia, a major marketing campaign for an Australian edition next year, and a television series based on the first book in the pipeline, Nigel Latta is building a solid reputation in this challenging field.

At last, a book of sage advice that will help frustrated parents reconnect with their teenager and keep that connection even in today's often-crazy world.The first step is simple: realizing that inside every teen resides two very different people-the regressed child and the emergent adult. The emergent adult is seen at school, on the playing field, in his first job, and in front of his friends' families. Unfortunately, his parents usually see only the regressed child-moody and defiant-and, if they're not on the lookout, they'll miss seeing the more agreeable, increasingly adult thinker in their midst.With ingenious strategies for coaxing the more attractive of the two teen personalities into the home, family psychologist Mike Riera gives new hope to beleaguered and harried parents. From moving from a "managing" to a "consulting" role in a teen's life, from working with a teen's uniquely exasperating sleep rhythms to having real conversations when only monosyllables have been previously possible, Staying Connected to Your Teenager demonstrates ways to bring out the best in a teen-and, consequently, in an entire family.

A New York Times Bestseller Renowned neurologist Dr. Frances E. Jensen offers a revolutionary look at the brains of teenagers, dispelling myths and offering practical advice for teens, parents and teachers. Dr. Frances E. Jensen is chair of the department of neurology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As a mother, teacher, researcher, clinician, and frequent lecturer to parents and teens, she is in a unique position to explain to readers the workings of the teen brain. In The Teenage Brain, Dr. Jensen brings to readers the astonishing findings that previously remained buried in academic journals. The root myth scientists believed for years was that the adolescent brain was essentially an adult one, only with fewer miles on it. Over the last decade, however, the scientific community has learned that the teen years encompass vitally important stages of brain development. Samples of some of the most recent findings include: Teens are better learners than adults because their brain cells more readily "build" memories. But this heightened adaptability can be hijacked by addiction, and the adolescent brain can become addicted more strongly and for a longer duration than the adult brain. Studies show that girls' brains are a full two years more mature than boys' brains in the mid-teens, possibly explaining differences seen in the classroom and in social behavior. Adolescents may not be as resilient to the effects of drugs as we thought. Recent experimental and human studies show that the occasional use of marijuana, for instance, can cause lingering memory problems even days after smoking, and that long-term use of pot impacts later adulthood IQ. Multi-tasking causes divided attention and has been shown to reduce learning ability in the teenage brain. Multi-tasking also has some addictive qualities, which may result in habitual short attention in teenagers. Emotionally stressful situations may impact the adolescent more than it would affect the adult: stress can have permanent effects on mental health and can to lead to higher risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression. Dr. Jensen gathers what we’ve discovered about adolescent brain function, wiring, and capacity and explains the science in the contexts of everyday learning and multitasking, stress and memory, sleep, addiction, and decision-making. In this groundbreaking yet accessible book, these findings also yield practical suggestions that will help adults and teenagers negotiate the mysterious world of adolescent development.

No, it’s not easy raising teenagers. Yes, there are sane solutions--in this problem-solving parent’s guide from the bestselling author of Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy How should you respond when your teen comes home late? Wears inappropriate clothes? Is pregnant, or flunking out? You’ll find the answers here--right at your fingertips--in this quick-reference manual from one of the leading experts on adolescent behavior. As someone who has counseled hundreds of teens in his practice and as a father of two teens himself, Dr. Michael Bradley understands how teenagers can drive you crazy. Offering practical “first response” advice, he tells you exactly what to do and what NOT to do in about every scenario you’ll ever face with your kid,from messy rooms and monstrous moods to drug abuse and depression. If you own a teen (or feel owned by one) the experts agree you need this book “. . . a wonderful, straightforward, and extremely helpful book. Michael Bradley's advice is always compassionate, very much on the mark, and, above all, realistic.” --Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D., bestselling author of Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall “Raising teens can be quite a bumpy ride. When Things Get Crazy with Your Teen supplies an easy-to-read, practical, and valuable road map for the trip.” --David Walsh, Ph.D., author of Why Do They Act That Way? “Exceptional. . . . This is a book that I will highly recommend, not just to parents of my adolescent patients but for all parents attempting to raise teenagers in today's complex and stress-filled world.” --Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., coauthor of Raising Resilient Children “Parents will find fresh insights and concrete, no-nonsense help throughout . . ..” --Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, authors of How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk