How to Raise a Teen: A Guide for Parents of Thirteen to Twenty-One-Year-Olds

Written By Yvette ODowd

Sarah Ockwell-Smith

How to Raise a Teen is the final installment in Sarah Ockwell-Smith’s series of developmental parenting guides, following Between and The Starting School Book. This book offers a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach to parenting adolescents aged 13 to 21. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and her own experience as a mother of four young adults, Ockwell-Smith addresses the emotional, social, and practical challenges of the teenage years. Ockwell-Smith introduces the concept of “emodiversity,” encouraging parents to accept and validate a wide range of emotions, helping teens develop resilience and emotional intelligence. She also coins the term “demetrescence” to describe the emotional shift parents experience as their children become independent adults

Why It’s Included

This book is included for its holistic and compassionate approach to parenting during the adolescent years. Ockwell-Smith's emphasis on empathy, open communication, and emotional validation aligns with gentle parenting principles. Her insights provide valuable guidance for navigating the complexities of teenage development and fostering strong parent-teen relationships.

Who It’s For

How to Raise a Teen is ideal for parents, caregivers, educators, and professionals working with adolescents aged 13 to 21. It's particularly beneficial for those interested in gentle parenting approaches and seeking to understand the developmental and emotional needs of teenagers

“Adolescence has never been an esy stage for parents or their children but being a teenager in the 21st century brings a lot of challenges not seen by their parents. Continuing a gentle approach to parenting a young person as they evolve from child to adult is possible and, once again, Sarah Ockwell-Smith hepls you understand how.”
— Yvette O'Dowd

Further Reading

  • Between: A Guide for Parents of Eight to Thirteen-Year-Olds by Sarah Ockwell-Smith

  • The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

  • Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour

  • How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Yvette ODowd
Next

Between: A Guide for Parents of Eight to Thirteen-Year-Olds