WHY Do They Act That Way?: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen
- ISBN13: 9780743260770
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
In this national bestseller, acclaimed, award-winning psychologist Dr. David Walsh explains exactly what happens to the human brain on the path from childhood into adolescence and adulthood. Revealing the latest scientific findings in easy-to-understand terms, Dr. Walsh shows why moodiness, quickness to anger and to take risks, miscommunication, fatigue, territoriality, and other familiar teenage behavior problems are so common — all are linked to physical changes and growth in the adolescent brain.
Why Do They Act That Way? is the first book to explain the changes in teens’ brains and show parents how to use this information to understand, communicate with, and stay connected to their kids. Through real-life stories, Dr. Walsh makes sense of teenagers’ many mystifying, annoying, and even outright dangerous behavioral difficulties and provides realistic solutions for dealing with everyday as well as severe challenges. Dr. Walsh’s techniques include, among others: sample dialogues that help teens and parents talk civilly and constructively with each other, behavioral contracts, and Parental Survival Kits that provide practical advice for dealing with issues like curfews, disrespectful language and actions, and bullying. With this arsenal of strategies, parents can help their kids learn to control impulses, manage erratic behavior, cope with their changing bodies, and, in effect, develop a second brain.
WHY Do They Act That Way?: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen
Robert J. Donnelly said,
Wrote on March 10, 2010 @ 1:34 am
I have been reading about child and adolescent development since my graduate school days. Later, when my children were born I was also a voracious reader of all the major writers on child and adolescent development. How I wish I had this book when my kids were in junior and senior high school!
Dr. Walsh has absolutely nailed adolescence. Amazing. He has taken an enormous amount of scholarly research and delivered it to us in readable and useable form. He clearly loves what he does and his passion for kids shines through in every chapter. It is a joy to read such a powerful combination of scholarship and common sense.
Someday I would love to meet this man. I am sure I would learn a lot. I recommend this book without reservation to every parent and teen out there who wants to understand these years.
Rating: 5 / 5
S. Peek said,
Wrote on March 10, 2010 @ 2:34 am
This will likely benefit anyone who is a parent of an adolescent. I think that it would also be helpful to adolescents themselves (if they would read it) in understanding some of their own behavior.
Walsh provides a lot of information on the latest research in brain development from adolescence to adulthood and its effects on attitudes, behavior, etc. He also discusses hormonal changes as well as cultural and other influences that are helpful in understanding the teen years.
Along with the scientific research he provides, Dr. Walsh also compares parenting styles, discusses activities for kids that can help in the short and long term, and provides realistic ideas for parenting during these tumultuous years. One of his particularly good suggestions is behavioral contracts. He provides a couple of specific examples of these, which are quite good.
One great quote that he has to start off chapter one makes it clear that surviving adolescence has been an issue for millennia: “Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers”. This is attributed to none other than Socrates in the fifth century, B.C.
Walsh clearly defines adolescence: “it begins at puberty and ends … sometime”.
Interwoven with the scientific information and helpful tips, he relates some stories, funny and otherwise, that most parents of those in this age group will be able to understand. One that I found particularly humorous related to ultra cold weather and adolescent dressing habits. This can be found on page 214.
I recommend this book.
Rating: 4 / 5
A. Burck said,
Wrote on March 10, 2010 @ 3:17 am
What’s most remarkable about this book is how easy and fun it is to read. There are lots of stories sprinkled in with the scientific information, and Walsh’s friendly, engaging voice comes across on every page. I wish I’d had this book when I was a teenager. It would have been nice to know that pains and dramas that afflicted me were the part of the process of literally growing into my adult brain. I know this book is intended for parents, but I think there are a lot of kids out there who would find it a good read too.
Rating: 5 / 5
Jane S Brodie said,
Wrote on March 10, 2010 @ 4:52 am
This book brings the reader upfront and close to what is happening in the brains and lives of teens. It is one of those rare nonfiction books that the reader doesn’t want to put down. David Walsh’s conversational style of writing, peppered with many examples from his own work and life with teens, is thoroughly engaging. The added plus is his many useful and practical ideas for connecting with adolescents. He is clear and concise in offering strategies both for loving and coping with teens. His integration of the latest brain research with his expetise and years of experience working with teens makes this a classic for parents, teachers and anyone having contact with teens.
Rating: 5 / 5
D. A. Gentile said,
Wrote on March 10, 2010 @ 5:16 am
As a developmental psychologist, I understand how children develop and behave. As a father, I understand how perplexing their behavior often seems. Dr. Walsh has managed to use the latest information in developmental neuroscience to tie these two sides together in a way that the lay reader will comprehend, which ultimately will help parents of adolescents to stop being so perplexed and to be able to interact with their adolescents in a positive way.
Dr. Walsh, as always, mixes science with common sense and humor, and provides research-based advice that all parents can use. This is one reason why his organization, the National Institute on Media and the Family (www.mediafamily.org), has become such a trusted resource for parents, educators, and policy-makers.
Rating: 5 / 5