My Blog

Parents of teenagers in China

In 2021 I was contacted by a parenting organization in Beijing to tell me that they had arranged for my book “Why won’t my teenager talk to me?” to be translated into Chinese.  I was delighted, and not a little surprised. They asked if I would like a copy, and before...

Why teach brain development to secondary school pupils?

Our knowledge of the changes in the teenage brain is not exactly “new knowledge”.   It is 20 years now since reports of research on the teen brain starting appearing in the media.   However, there is a long way to go before the field of education catches up with these...

The Teacher and The Teenage Brain

Publisher: Routledge Publication Date: 27th May 2021 I wrote this book, “The teacher and the teenage brain”, for two reasons.  First, because I believe that knowledge about teenage brain development can make a profound difference to the way adults understand and...

Parents and teenagers at a time of Coronavirus

Contents A brief guide for parents Making sense of teenagers’ emotions Tips for parents Tips for teenagers A quiz for teenagers to complete   A brief guide for parents Being stuck at home for weeks on end will be a huge test for all families. Even if parents and young...

Information management

A parent recently asked me why her daughter was willing to tell her certain things, but clammed up when asked about other topics.  I replied by telling her the story of one young woman who said to me:  “I do tell my Mum things, but not at the time they happen.  I have...

Knife Crime

The deaths and injuries to young people in our city centres as a result of knife crime are both a disgrace and a terrible tragedy. Yet the response of politicians and policy makers has been to lay the blame almost entirely on falling police numbers. As a result of...

Teenagers and sleep

It has been really exciting to see the development of sleep lessons for young people, developed by Dr Michael Farquar in association with the PSHE Association.  I have long believed that good sleep is a key element contributing to the health of teenagers.  It is...

A workshop for Parents

“The teen brain – a workshop for parents” A 40-slide powerpoint presentation: These slides are designed for a 2 hour session. The workshop is designed for parents or carers of teenagers.  It would be appropriate for parents or carers of any age teenager during the...