A Guide for Parents

When your child becomes a teen, it can suddenly seem like they have become an entirely different creature than the sweet young child they once were. This is a challenging period of time to navigate as parents, and it can feel as if everything you knew about parenting no longer applies. Difficult as it may be, this is supposed to happen! During the teen years, the brain is undergoing the most major construction project it will ever experience. To allow room for this construction, a teenager’s brain is like elastic- flexible but not yet stabilized. They are full of contradictions- ready for independence but not yet adults; full of confidence while also unsure of where they’re headed. They still need their parents more than they might like to admit and more than parents may even realize. This workshop is designed to help you understand just what type of construction is happening inside that developing brain of theirs, including why they do the things they do, what’s normal, and how to set reasonable and balanced expectations. Topics covered include:

Topics covered include:

• What makes the teen brain different from the adult brain

• Impulse control and risk-taking behaviors

• Sleep patterns

• Mood regulation

• Stress Management

• Managing defiance and rebellion

• Finding an appropriate balance between freedom and supervision

• Communicating effectively with your teen

• Building and maintaining a strong parent-child relationship