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Welcome to your teenager's brain
Teenagers are a breed of their own. They speak their own language, they abide by their own rules, and they seem to exist to drive adults crazy. But adolescence is a typical stage of human development that is the essential preparation for success in the adult world. The more you understand about your teen’s brain, the better prepared you will be to handle this turbulent time in your child’s life.
Professor Abigail Baird has devoted the majority of her career to studying adolescence, and in this Audible Original, she shares the latest perspectives on this amazing time of cognitive and behavioral growth. The 10 lectures in this series will reveal that adolescent behavior is much easier to understand than most people think. Rather than seeing the teen years as a crucible to be endured by parents and young people alike, this series offers a practical perspective for adults who hope to help teens truly thrive in their personal journeys to adulthood—not merely to survive their adolescence.
Whether you are a parent, someone who works with teens, or even a teen yourself, this course will shed new light on a period of human development that is all too often incorrectly described as a time where psychological peril is inevitable.
Professor Abigail Baird has devoted the majority of her career to studying adolescence, and in this Audible Original, she shares the latest perspectives on this amazing time of cognitive and behavioral growth. The 10 lectures in this series will reveal that adolescent behavior is much easier to understand than most people think. Rather than seeing the teen years as a crucible to be endured by parents and young people alike, this series offers a practical perspective for adults who hope to help teens truly thrive in their personal journeys to adulthood—not merely to survive their adolescence.
Whether you are a parent, someone who works with teens, or even a teen yourself, this course will shed new light on a period of human development that is all too often incorrectly described as a time where psychological peril is inevitable.
Audible Audio
Published April 20, 2021
19 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 24, 2021
Excellent book on the neurological development from adolescence to teenagers. Abigail Baird illustrates in several ways why lack of frontal lobe development can lead to poor teen choices whereby they can’t contemplate, possible to even likely outcomes of poor choices. Baird gives strong empirical evidence including FMRI scans of teen brains while performing tasks alone and tasks with friends as an audience.
The challenge in implementing such good knowledge comes in families, where there children of divorce not addressed by Baird. One great point Abigail Baird makes is teens don’t set the boundaries for teen behavior, parents should.
Substantial challenges create extreme conflict when what one parent believes an appropriate set of rules and behavior some others would consider even be MeToo moment against the law , while absolutely not appropriate teen behavior in the other parents set of rules where the same behavior is not permissible , and considered by the courts , breaking the law.
Baird book illustrates well that teens are not in a position to make good judgements and must be guided to good choices in a non-linear fashion.
The challenge in implementing such good knowledge comes in families, where there children of divorce not addressed by Baird. One great point Abigail Baird makes is teens don’t set the boundaries for teen behavior, parents should.
Substantial challenges create extreme conflict when what one parent believes an appropriate set of rules and behavior some others would consider even be MeToo moment against the law , while absolutely not appropriate teen behavior in the other parents set of rules where the same behavior is not permissible , and considered by the courts , breaking the law.
Baird book illustrates well that teens are not in a position to make good judgements and must be guided to good choices in a non-linear fashion.
May 29, 2021
I picked this up to get greater understanding on how teenage brains process information and go about learning, and this was helpful in filling out some things that I already know. If you know NOTHING, this would also be a good place to start, as Baird relates things happening in teen brains to the big milestones of the toddler brain that you might have some experience with.
This text fills in the vocabulary for you, so don't worry if you have not reviewed your brain regions since high school health, Baird goes into this text respecting that you know something about the body/bran, but not expecting you to be highly conversant in the small details.
If you think your kid (or students) are acting a fool, they likely are, but after you read this book you will see the developmental PURPOSE to why acting a fool is essential to becoming a fully realized adult.
This text fills in the vocabulary for you, so don't worry if you have not reviewed your brain regions since high school health, Baird goes into this text respecting that you know something about the body/bran, but not expecting you to be highly conversant in the small details.
If you think your kid (or students) are acting a fool, they likely are, but after you read this book you will see the developmental PURPOSE to why acting a fool is essential to becoming a fully realized adult.
June 8, 2021
Free Audible book.
Although my child is an adult herself now, I found this Behavioral Neuroscientist's book very interesting. I would highly recommend it to anyone parenting or about to parent an adolescent / teen. They might just find what they're worried about most is what they should worry about least.
Although my child is an adult herself now, I found this Behavioral Neuroscientist's book very interesting. I would highly recommend it to anyone parenting or about to parent an adolescent / teen. They might just find what they're worried about most is what they should worry about least.
February 2, 2022
This was a very good presentation on what goes on as a child becomes a teenager. It was quite sensible. I didn't catch any mistakes in terms of parental advice. I thought she was a little light on drug and alcohol abuse. I would have liked to have heard more about that. It was mostly a reassuring presentation for parents dealing with those difficult teenage years. At the end it got serious with talk about what to do about depressive teens. She said that parents know their children. When a troubled teen is brought to her, she usually asks the parents, "What do you think is wrong?" Parents usually have a good idea where to start looking.
I'd listen to this audiobook again.
I'd listen to this audiobook again.
June 12, 2021
Free audible download. Lots of great information. A few things I disagree with, but overall some great insight into the teenage brain, and the actual science of what may be going on in there. I believe there are a lot of societal factors that affect their brains as well.
Anyway, it’s an interesting read, I may read through some of the lectures again.
Anyway, it’s an interesting read, I may read through some of the lectures again.
July 28, 2021
Was able to take a great deal of notes that were useful. The perspectives and examples provided were great.
There were some concepts, at the neuroscience level, that went over my head, but a majority of the lectures were accessible to all.
There were some concepts, at the neuroscience level, that went over my head, but a majority of the lectures were accessible to all.
June 3, 2021
Very helpful as a parent for using my own brain to stop and consider what their brain is actually trying to do before i fly off the handle. This book has some great info.
December 8, 2021
This was a very approachable foray into neuroscience. I learned quite a bit from this book.
February 10, 2022
This was fantastic!
July 9, 2024
This topic is of interest to me because I had three teenagers at the time of getting this audiobook. Two of which are girls.
It’s a Great Courses lecture series which I enjoy. I think I would have enjoyed this much more had I been able to hear this author lecture in person. Unfortunately, she was still the one to read the lectures. Which sounds weird. It is.
But why? I did not like recording due to the breathy and lispy way the author speaks. It got to me right away and I was only able to listen to about half of the lectures and then took it pretty significant break. Mainly because I found myself being annoyed while she was speaking instead of listening to the material more closely. So I could very well miss some important points due to my inability to focus on much else.
I would not use this review as your final choice as to whether or not to listen to the lectures. As they are interesting, but not quite as impactful or insightful as I thought they might be for me. If there is a way to read this instead of listening to it, I would choose that instead.
It’s a Great Courses lecture series which I enjoy. I think I would have enjoyed this much more had I been able to hear this author lecture in person. Unfortunately, she was still the one to read the lectures. Which sounds weird. It is.
But why? I did not like recording due to the breathy and lispy way the author speaks. It got to me right away and I was only able to listen to about half of the lectures and then took it pretty significant break. Mainly because I found myself being annoyed while she was speaking instead of listening to the material more closely. So I could very well miss some important points due to my inability to focus on much else.
I would not use this review as your final choice as to whether or not to listen to the lectures. As they are interesting, but not quite as impactful or insightful as I thought they might be for me. If there is a way to read this instead of listening to it, I would choose that instead.
September 12, 2021
HIGHLIGHTS:
1. The brain is highly responsive to experiences.
2. Both toddler and teenage years are filled with rapid growth.
3. Experiences help teens make better choices. They need to try things out on their own. They need to take experiences and get hurt.
4. Human development is about taking chances and learning from the outcome.
5. Risks and failures help young people to grow.
6. The Experience Library: Teens need to be fundamentally safe while being able have experiences of freedom.
7. Parents need to trust their gut. They know their teen better than anyone.
8. Know your child well so you can see changes in their basic temperament.
9. Drugs & Alcohol use: swift and intense intervention is needed.
10.
1. The brain is highly responsive to experiences.
2. Both toddler and teenage years are filled with rapid growth.
3. Experiences help teens make better choices. They need to try things out on their own. They need to take experiences and get hurt.
4. Human development is about taking chances and learning from the outcome.
5. Risks and failures help young people to grow.
6. The Experience Library: Teens need to be fundamentally safe while being able have experiences of freedom.
7. Parents need to trust their gut. They know their teen better than anyone.
8. Know your child well so you can see changes in their basic temperament.
9. Drugs & Alcohol use: swift and intense intervention is needed.
10.
October 24, 2021
I LOVED this and will probably revisit. The author narrates well and the content - based on neuroscience - is an incredibly refreshing perspective. I feel vindicated! Adolescents are not slaves to their hormones after all; they’re just starting to practice being adults… and will make stupid mistakes because don’t we all when we start something new? Sure, there are developmental factors to be aware of, but adolescents absolutely deserve to be treated as the highly functional humans that they are.
June 21, 2023
Meh Meh.
This is a book full of common sense. I usually like books like this. There are some interesting points on how the brain works during different stages of child evolution, and how endorphins, dopamine and serotonine work for adolescents, and ... and that's about it.
My DNF fobia pushed me over the finish line.
Unfortunately the author didn't inspire enough trust for me to accept some of the info shared in some of the chapters.
This is a book full of common sense. I usually like books like this. There are some interesting points on how the brain works during different stages of child evolution, and how endorphins, dopamine and serotonine work for adolescents, and ... and that's about it.
My DNF fobia pushed me over the finish line.
Unfortunately the author didn't inspire enough trust for me to accept some of the info shared in some of the chapters.
July 15, 2023
There were interesting components to this book on how the teenage brain develops, but it lacked consistency. Sometimes it felt grounded in science; sometimes it felt like parenting advice.
The point she hit on repeat was comforting. The things that people find difficult about teenagers are functional and appropriate for their human development. Kids learn from experience. Let them do things and learn. They need to become their own people. Parents, get out of the way. Noted.
The point she hit on repeat was comforting. The things that people find difficult about teenagers are functional and appropriate for their human development. Kids learn from experience. Let them do things and learn. They need to become their own people. Parents, get out of the way. Noted.
March 24, 2023
A good brush up for me as a school psychologist. I especially became engrossed in lectures 8 & 9 (social media & parenting) as those are areas I’m less familiar with professionally. There is a lot of food for thought in these lectures. I definitely recommend for parents of teens. “Don’t just do something. Stand there!” An amazing perspective!
December 23, 2021
A good general intro to what is going on in the adolescent brain, including a persuasive defense of peer pressure and tips on identifying when concerns are worth seeking help.
June 4, 2023
Good book. Although the information shared isn’t anything I’ve heard before, it’s good to refresh my knowledge on the subject.
June 13, 2023
3.5. Audiobook. Some good and much-needed information here.
August 31, 2023
This wasn't exactly what I was hoping it would be. Got at least one or 2 things out of it that I can put in my pocket.
March 11, 2024
I definitely will be relisting to this one.
October 1, 2025
My kids are young adults now. Although I seriously wish I had read this book 7 years ago, I think a lot of the concepts still apply to parenting emerging adults.
July 6, 2021
Professor Abigail Baird shares the latest perspectives on the cognitive and behavioral growth that happens in the teen years, and sheds light on both the how and why this is responsible for a lot of the behavior we associate with this age group. She also shares her years of research to support the importance of these brain changes, and how we as parents, teachers, adult role models, and even teens themselves can understand what is happening neurologically, to better work with the behavior. She also offers some insight into understanding when these changes may be outside of the normal scope, and how to handle instances where outside intervention may be needed and how to address this.
As both a parent of a teenager, and someone who has lived through this milestone, I found it refreshing to match common teen behaviors to specific changes in the brain. Who knew there were neurological changes at the root of these common behaviors? By offering an objective perspective on why this happens, opportunities are created for conversation, support, and new ways to approach the changes instead of constant battling against them. For me, these lectures created a deeper understanding, which was both enlightening and empowering at the same time.
One thing I bookmarked was when Professor Baird discussed a bit about how to handle concerns if your teen is exhibiting behaviors that might warrant professional help. Instead of threatening professional help in the heat of an argument, calmer minds prevail, and in offering advice on how to approach this, she likens it to something a bit more relatable:
“If your teen had a sore throat that lasted more than a few days and was preventing them from doing things they wanted to do, would you assume they could just pull it together and make it go away? Or would you take an hour to bring them to a doctor and find out if it required additional intervention?”
So she’s not saying caregivers need to understand everything, but her lectures and research provide a roadmap, for both parent and teen, that navigates the normal changes and when to escalate the not-so-normal ones and some advice on how to handle some of the more common situations.
While reading, I immediately recommended this book to several friends who are parents of teens, and now I recommend it to you.
As both a parent of a teenager, and someone who has lived through this milestone, I found it refreshing to match common teen behaviors to specific changes in the brain. Who knew there were neurological changes at the root of these common behaviors? By offering an objective perspective on why this happens, opportunities are created for conversation, support, and new ways to approach the changes instead of constant battling against them. For me, these lectures created a deeper understanding, which was both enlightening and empowering at the same time.
One thing I bookmarked was when Professor Baird discussed a bit about how to handle concerns if your teen is exhibiting behaviors that might warrant professional help. Instead of threatening professional help in the heat of an argument, calmer minds prevail, and in offering advice on how to approach this, she likens it to something a bit more relatable:
“If your teen had a sore throat that lasted more than a few days and was preventing them from doing things they wanted to do, would you assume they could just pull it together and make it go away? Or would you take an hour to bring them to a doctor and find out if it required additional intervention?”
So she’s not saying caregivers need to understand everything, but her lectures and research provide a roadmap, for both parent and teen, that navigates the normal changes and when to escalate the not-so-normal ones and some advice on how to handle some of the more common situations.
While reading, I immediately recommended this book to several friends who are parents of teens, and now I recommend it to you.
July 22, 2021
I don’t have time to leave a verbose review, but there are so many compliments that I want to share with potential readers (listeners), the publisher, and the author herself. Suffice it to say that while this book intellectualizes and translates for adults 10 to 19 year olds’ frustrating and often illogical/intelligible behavior and decision-making, it indirectly (although I imagine somewhat purposefully) becomes one of the best ‘parenting’ books — increasing understanding and patience as you are guided to the areas of the developing adolescent brain (and the purposeful, biological reasons for that delayed/specifically-timed development). I would easily rate this book 5/5 starts if it were available in multiple formats. (I would love to download, read, reread, highlight, and note-take along with the option to listen.) PLEASE PROVIDE IT AS AN AUDIOBOOK AND BOOK FORMAT!!! THANK YOU!
May 18, 2021
Very much focused on helping parents (and uncles like me) develop empathy with the teenagers in their lives. Baird digs into the neuroscience that makes children sleep later, find their own coded language and distance themselves from parents. I think the most helpful bit was a section dissecting the difference between punishment and discipline, which fits into the general of theme of trying to work within a teenagers emotional state to achieve outcomes rather than trying to get them to conform to something or be an adult.
June 15, 2021
Not disappointed. Offered a new perspective on common situations in an approachable manner. Made me consider how I interpret actions and statements from my teens/preteens vs. what may actually be in play. In the end, my respect for their thinking has been raised. Not that it was in the gutter or dismissed, ever. But when you want to smack your forehead and cry to the heavens, 'Why?!', this change up offers you hope. Seriously, not as pathetic as that description sounds...mostly. Well presented!
July 10, 2021
For the most part, the lectures are down to earth and the messages are somewhat familiar and common sensical: e.g., teenagers will need to grow up; the adolescence period is going to be bumpy.
One thing that struck me from these lectures is that social network apps are not as terrible as I thought for teens. They need lots of time to hash repeatedly what happened in their social circles to extract useful lessons. Social networks are part of that effort. Frivolous seeming, yes. But maybe necessary *for them*.
One thing that struck me from these lectures is that social network apps are not as terrible as I thought for teens. They need lots of time to hash repeatedly what happened in their social circles to extract useful lessons. Social networks are part of that effort. Frivolous seeming, yes. But maybe necessary *for them*.
July 6, 2021
This was a very interesting take on how the teenage brain develops and why teens do what they do. It completely makes sense, especially after being a teacher for sometime now and watching teens interact with each other and develop. I find them fascinating and I especially liked the chat about the helicopter and cool parents. Very well done!
August 12, 2021
Phenomenal! I can’t recommend this enough to parents of adolescents and teens. I listened through Audible and will be recommending to every parent I know. I loved the science based explanations that helped make sense of so much… from how teens approach decision making, how to view peer pressure and social media through lens of their brain development and so much more.
September 3, 2023
A well organized and well explained book about how teenagers process information. This would be a good introduction to the topic. Good examples and I think I would listen to it a second time to get some notes written down. Society plays a larger role in teenage development and processing than I think the author gives credit to, but I agreed with almost everything else.
May 13, 2021
As a high school English teacher & mom of 2, I wish I had listened to this before my 2nd son turned 17 a year ago—it might have helped deal with his pandemic-induced craziness. It was comforting to know we haven’t been too off the Mark in how we’re dealing/ coping now.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews