The Teenage Brain: A Guide to understanding what we've forgotten

This was such a great book.  It’s not so much a “parenting” book as it is a reference guide for parents or anyone who works with kids age 11-25.  A reference to what?  To the brain of an adolescent.  Honestly, it should be called "The Teenage Brain: Why They Seem Like Idiots"

First of all - I had no idea the adolescent brain started at age 11 and ended at age 25.  This explains SO much about some of the people we hire at work right out of school!  If you have a child entering the pre-teen years, in their teens, early twenties, or if you work with people in their early twenties, I highly recommend you give this a go.

Let's face it - we all remember thinking we knew more than our parents.  We know there are hormones and risk taking behaviours that come with the teenage years, it's a time when you become your own person, separate from your parents, etc.  But as a parent, on the other side of the adolescent relationship - I feel completely blindsided everyday, over and over again.  This book helps me keep perspective - it's not him, it's his biology, his frontal cortex is not developed yet.  It will pass.

There are parts of the book that are heavy on the science-based research side, but I found the explanations really helpful to maintain a calm perspective with my 13 year old. Knowing things like the the melatonin levels of teenagers shift from 8pm to 11pm (or even 1am) helped my husband and I to come to an understanding with our son about sleep schedules. Lots of helpful info, especially if you are an analytical thinker who likes to understand the “why”.

I also like that each chapter focuses on a different "challenge".  I skipped the Tabacco and the Hard-Core Drugs chapters as these aren't relevant to us (at least not at the present time).  I found the chapters on Sleep, Learning, Stress and Gender quite interesting.  As you can see from the pictures, I've dog-eared, underlined and highlighted quite a few pages.

I highly recommend this book.  My doctor has read it and quotes it every time I take my son in for something, the Youth Counsellor and Heath Department nurse at our local high school has read it and gave a workshop on it - it seems to be everywhere lately. 

Reading Rocks: Body Books

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. 

The more you learn, the more places you'll go."

— Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

Every week I post a list of 3 books to read to your kids. Buy them, borrow them, read them cherish them, share them.

When my son turned three he started asking about bones and blood and skeletons.  Trying to find interesting books that explain how the body works in an honest (kid-friendly) way was a bit tougher than I anticipated.  Here are my top three picks for books on how the body works:

Me And My Amazing Body 
by Joan Sweeney 

I read this to my curious 3 year old.
How does the body work? This book explains the basics:
skin, skeleton, muscles, brain, blood, heart, lungs, stomach
(no "privates" in this one).

Amazing You! (Getting Smart About Your Private Parts)
by Dr. Gail Saltz

Take your little one to the next "level".
At about 4-5 years old my boys started asking me why girls don't
have penises, and what are the round things under their privates?
This is the perfect intro into the physical differences between
girls and boys (read it all or only pages that are relevant to their questions).

The Human Body - Lift The Flap and Learn 

by Pascale Hedelin and Robert Barborini
Best "all around" body book.  This is great for ages 4+.
Lift the flaps to see a baby inside the mommy,
pull the tabs to watch body parts change as you age,
touch and feel to learn about the five senses.
Not a "story" format but interactive and fun.

Do you have recommendations for books to read to kids?  Comment below and I may feature them in the weeks to come!

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