Books for Parents - what we're reading

The Teenage Brain - a neuroscientist's survival guide to raising adolescents and young adults. by Frances E Jensen, MD with Amy Ellis Nutt

For many years, scientists believed that the adolescent brain was essentially an adult one. Over the last decade, however, neurology and neuroscience have revealed that the teen years encompass vitally important stages of brain development. Interweaving clear summary and analysis of research data with anecdotes drawn from her years of experience, the author explores adolescent brain functioning and development in the context of learning and multitasking, stress and memory, sleep, addiction, and decision making. Her findings not only dispel commonly held myths about teens but also yield practical suggestions.
paperback
hardcover

Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, and Boyfriends by Rosalind Wiseman

The pre-adolescent and adolescent years can be incredibly socially stressful for girls -- and their parents. This book should be required reading for any parent in, or about to be in that maelstrom.
paperback
Kindle

Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, and Girlfriends by Rosalind Wiseman

Boy world is governed by social hierarchies and a powerful set of unwritten rules that have huge implications for your boy’s relationships, his interactions with you, and the man he’ll become. If you want what’s best for him, you need to know what these rules are and how to work with them effectively.
paperback
hardcover
Kindle