When Life Sucks: The practical and effective how-to guide to parenting your teen through tough times from an expert psychiatrist and comedian for fans of Maggie Dent, Celia Lashlie and Nigel Latta

by Dr Jo Prendergast

A first-aid manual for supporting your teen's mental health, by psychiatrist and comedian Dr Jo Prendergast
When Life Sucks is an essential guide to supporting your teen's mental health. As a parent and psychiatrist, Dr Jo knows how hard it can be - especially if a teen communicates only in eye rolls and grunts!

Covering everything from anxiety, depression, trauma and eating difficulties, to understanding neurodivergence and gender identity, this book is a first-aid manual for some of life's toughest challenges. It's not easy being a parent in a world of TikTok and bubblegum-flavoured vapes, but When Life Sucks gives you the practical tools to help make your life a little lighter and to support your teen towards a healthy headspace.

Genres: Nonfiction

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2023

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be especially helpful regarding the unique challenges of parenting teens in New Zealand. Highly recommend if you have a teen dealing with mental health issues. The more you know…

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic resource for families navigating or gearing up for the teenage years. The content is comprehensive, engaging, and genuinely practical, all while remaining highly accessible. Although the guidance is useful for anyone, it’s especially valuable for those of us trying to make sense of New Zealand’s sometimes complex medical and mental‑health support systems. A really worthwhile read.

[Anna Dinneen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I’ve read on teens and mental health. Written in a supportive way with practical and realistic suggestions - thank you, this was exactly the support and advice I needed.

[Tsitsi Mary Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really handy book with some cool strategies for navigating parenting.