WHY Do They Act That Way?, David Walsh, Ph.D.
WHY Do They Act That Way?, David Walsh, Ph.D.
3 Rating(s)
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WHY Do They Act That Way?
A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen

Author: David Walsh, Ph.D., Nat Bennett

Narrator: Kaleo Griffith

Unabridged: 9 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 05/28/2012


Synopsis

Even smart kids do stupid things. It's a simple fact of life. No one makes it through the teenage years unscathed—not the teens, not their parents. But now there's expert help for both generations in this groundbreaking new guide for surviving the drama of adolescence.

In WHY Do They Act That Way? nationally renowned, 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.

But WHY Do They Act That Way? goes beyond the well-known issues of hormones and peer pressure. It is the first book to explain the changes in teens' brains and to show parents how to use this information to understand, communicate with, and stay connected to their kids. Dr. Walsh actually likes teenagers and has worked with them and their families for more than thirty years as a parent, teacher, psychologist, coach, and trusted expert. Through real-life stories, he makes sense of their 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. In addition, Dr. Walsh explores the short- and long-term effects of drug and alcohol use on adolescent brain development, the effects of computer games and other activities, the brain differences between the sexes, and how to talk to your teen about sex and the epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases.

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. Dr. Walsh's proven tactics will be extremely welcome to frustrated parents trying to help their children through this confusing time of life.

About David Walsh, Ph.D.

David Walsh, Ph.D., is an award-winning psychologist and in-demand international speaker. He is the founder of the renowned National Institute on Media and the Family, which he led until 2009. A senior advisor at Search Institute, Dr. Walsh is on the faculty of the University of Minnesota. He is the author of several books, including Smart Parenting, Smarter Kids; No; and Dr. Dave's Cyberhood, and many of his articles have appeared in the professional and general press. His books have been translated into eight languages. He and his wife Monica live in Minneapolis and have three adult children and two grandchildren.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Bob on September 11, 2008

This book is the clearest I've read on the biological basis for adolescent misbehavior. It covers the blossoming and pruning of neurons that goes on in the prefrontal cortex, the erratic changes in the levels of norepinephrine (the energizer neurotransmitter), dopamine (the feel-good neurotransmitte......more

Goodreads review by Joyce on June 09, 2017

If you love science and psychology and if you are a teen or a parent of any kind who will be raising a teenager....read this, study this and then read it again. The science on how the brain works and develops in adolescent brains is described in clear concise terms. All the information provided abou......more

Goodreads review by Jill on January 14, 2018

There is a lot of great advice an instruction in here. I would definitely come back to it to raise teens, presuming I get to have any kids. There are a few segments I take great exception to, and they are all found in the sex category. I dislike how Walsh implies a bit of ambivalence for teens and s......more

Goodreads review by Jacklyn on March 25, 2021

Fantastic book. I had no idea how the adolescent brain functions and develops and it is so helpful especially since I have a 12 year old who has already shown so many of these behaviors. It helps to take a step back and try to understand what these kids are going through and this book 1) helped me w......more