Why Won't My Teenager Talk to Me?

Dr John Coleman trained as a clinical psychologist, and was formerly a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. He is the Founder of a research centre studying adolescents and their families, and during his career he has also run a special school for troubled teenagers and worked as a policy advisor for Government. In addition to running workshops for parents of teenagers, he has created two series for TV, and written books and developed videos on the adolescent years. John’s pioneering work has been widely recognised, and in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2001 he was awarded an OBE for services to young people.

‘This book merges the voices of parents and teenagers with Dr Colemans's authoritative, well-defined framework, offering practical information and advice for parents of today’s teenagers.’ Janey Downshire, Teenagers Translated, UK‘John writes in a generous, practical and informed manner about difficult subject areas. He provides a frames work ‘STAGE’ for reflection and reference, but most of all an open-minded approach to get the most out parenting during the teenage years – he even allows us to consider that this can be a wonderful and not terrible experience because he talks to both parents and teenagers themselves.’ Jez Todd, CEO of Family Lives, UK‘In today’s pressured and competitive world, it seems that parents have much to worry about and too little sensible guidance. Parents are full of questions, for their experiences are new to them and, in the case of the fast-changing digital world, new to everyone. John Coleman’s years of expertise, sound research and sympathetic vision allows him to offer wise yet practical answers in a lively, accessible and thoroughly up-to-date manner.’ Professor Sonia Livingstone OBE, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK‘This book is essential reading for anyone with a teenager. Fostering and maintaining good communication with a teenager can feel impossible – conversations end up turning into arguments and everyone starts to feel worried or upset. This book gives parents the insights they need to keep family communication channels open. It’s insightful and practical and should be on every parent’s bookshelf.’ Vicki Shotbolt, Founder and CEO of Parent Zone, UK‘This is the book that every parent of a teenager should have on their bedside table. Read it through, dip in and out – it contains so much that can help you. Coleman combines wisdom and sympathy with practicality and facts. He gives tips and suggestions on how to talk to your teenagers, and how to listen. But far more important, he gives you insight into why your teenagers act and feel the way they do and dissects the increasing pressures they come under in today’s world. This new edition contains the latest research on the teenage brain.’ Suzie Hayman, Agony Aunt for Woman Magazine and Trsutee of the charity Family Lives

• Part 1 1. The teenage years 2. The changing brain 3. The STAGE framework 4. S - The Significance of parents and carers 5. T - Two-way communication 6. A - Authority 7. G - The Generation gap 8. E - Emotion Part 2 9. Teenagers and health 10. Sex and gender 11. Friends and the peer group 12. The digital world 13. Divorce and the changing family 14. Risk-taking and challenging behaviour 15. Conclusion: how parents can make use of the STAGE framework