The Gift of Teenagers

We live in a time of huge worry about our teenagers and their mental health – from fears of a phone-obsessed adolescence to concerns about an offline world of bullying and drugs, not to mention gender identity. But what if we parents don’t need to be so fearful? What if our teenagers are a gift we can all learn from?

In this authoritative book by an established mental health writer with expert advice from a top clinical psychologist, Rachel Kelly shares how bringing up her five children in an anxious age, and her work for ten years with young people in schools and at universities, has led to her own psychological growth. Raising resilient teenagers begins with becoming a more resilient – and better informed – parent, someone who has learned to manage their own emotions, become aware of their parenting style, and understand the world our teenagers are growing up in.

Thus armed, we can engage with our adolescents better and discover how they, and their brains, work (short answer: not always like us!). The book also offers psychologically helpful (and evidence-based) approaches for supporting our teenagers, from personal relationships to navigating social media. Whisper it, but it might even be a fun ride.