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Recommended Reading

 

Curious about what's happening in your teenager's brain? Interested in learning strategies for talking to your child? See below for a list of recommended readings for middle school parents. Then check out our selection of books at the front desk, and pick up one if you're interested in reading more!  

 

 

Articles

As Teens Push Away, What Can Parents Do To Support Them? (Mindshift)

 

Why Teens Are Impulsive, Addiction-Prone And Should Protect Their Brains (Edutopia)

 

100 Percent Is Overrated (The Atlantic)

 

 

Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain

Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. 

 

In this New York Times–bestselling book, Dr. Daniel Siegel shows parents how to turn one of the most challenging developmental periods in their children’s lives into one of the most rewarding.

The Whole Brain Child

Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. 

 

In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children. The authors explain—and make accessible—the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. The “upstairs brain,” which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-twenties. And especially in young children, the right brain and its emotions tend to rule over the logic of the left brain. No wonder kids throw tantrums, fight, or sulk in silence. By applying these discoveries to everyday parenting, you can turn any outburst, argument, or fear into a chance to integrate your child’s brain and foster vital growth.             
 
Complete with age-appropriate strategies for dealing with day-to-day struggles and illustrations that will help you explain these concepts to your child, The Whole-Brain Child shows you how to cultivate healthy emotional and intellectual development so that your children can lead balanced, meaningful, and connected lives.

How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk

Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

 

The renowned #1 New York Times bestselling authors share their advice and expertise with parents and teens in this accessible, indispensable guide to surviving adolescence.

 

Filled with straightforward advice and written in their trademark, down-to-earth style sure to appeal to both parents and teens, this all-new volume offers both innovative, easy-to-implement suggestions and proven techniques to build the foundation for lasting relationships. From curfews and cliques to sex and drugs, it gives parents the tools to help their children safely navigate the often stormy years of adolescence.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

 

The ultimate “parenting bible” (The Boston Globe) — a timeless, beloved book on how to effectively communicate with your child from the #1 New York Timesbestselling authors.

The Female Brain

Louann Brizendine, M.D.

 

This comprehensive new look at the hormonal roller coaster that rules women's lives down to the cellular level, "a user's guide to new research about the female brain and the neurobehavioral systems that make us women," offers a trove of information, as well as some stunning insights. Brizendine provides a fascinating look at the life cycle of the female brain from birth ("baby girls will connect emotionally in ways that baby boys don't") to birthing ("Motherhood changes you because it literally alters a woman's brain-structurally, functionally, and in many ways, irreversibly") to menopause (when "the female brain is nowhere near ready to retire") and beyond.

 

The chapter on "The Teen Girl Brain" is particularly useful for parents of adolescent females. 

The Male Brain

Louann Brizendine, M.D.
 

In this utterly fascinating follow-up to her bestselling The Female Brain, Harvard neuropsychiatrist Brizendine leads readers through the lifespan of a man's brain, using lively prose and personable anecdotes to turn complex scientific research into a highly accessible romp. Among other salient info, readers will learn why it is what young boys seem unable to stay still (they are learning through "embodied cognition"); why behaviors may change so suddenly during puberty (among other changes, testosterone increases 20-fold); the nature of irritability in teens ("boys' hormones prime them for aggressive and territorial behaviors"); and the ways in which chemicals, physical touch, and play bond fathers with their children.

 

The chapter on "The Teen Male Brain" is particularly useful for parents of adolescent males. 

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