Talking To Teens: Expert Tips for Parenting Teenagers
Kids & Family
Sometimes teens behave in ways that seem truly inexplicable. One day they'd rather die than miss a trip to the mall with their friends...and the next they can’t stand a single one of those same friends! They want to join the lacrosse team but won’t go to a single practice, date someone new every week, and change their future career three times in one day. It seems like they’re being motivated by something behind the scenes…something that even they don’t understand!
In reality, teens are acting under the influence of all sorts of brain chemicals that developed as a result of evolution. Beyond just the reproductive hormones like testosterone and estrogen that we often associate with adolescence, kids are motivated by their internal reward system, including chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins. These chemicals cause teens to form habits and reward-seeking patterns that not only shape their teenage lives, but potentially their adult lives too!
To understand how these chemical forces work in the teenage brain, we’re talking to Loretta Breuning, author of Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, & Endorphin Levels. Loretta is the founder of the Inner Mammal Institute, which provides resources for people to understand their pleasure-seeking brain chemicals and cultivate a happier life!
In our interview, Loretta explains how oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin and endorphins work, how these chemicals change teens’ behavior, and what happens when teens don’t get enough of them.
Ep 115: Beating Substance Abuse and Addiction
Ep 114: What Teens Can Do Now To Prepare For College
Ep 113: What Top Athletes Can Teach Us About Teen Success
Ep 112: Consequences of Your Teen’s Digital Footprint
Ep 111: Want Accountable Teens? Ask the Right Questions
Ep 110: Hidden Depression in Perfectionists
Ep 109: Can Your Teen Spot the Truth?
Ep 108: Prepare Your Teen for Police Encounters
Ep 107: Only 7% of Parents Do This...
Ep 106: Teen Brain Hacks
Ep 105: The Hormones Behind Bonding, Relationships, and Sex
Ep 104: A Good Relationship is Key to Raising a Good Teen
Ep 103: How Risk-Taking is Hardwired in Adolescent Brains
Ep 102: Is Your Teen’s Tech Use Healthy, Junky, or Toxic?
Ep 101: Connect Deeper with Vulnerability
Ep 100: Artistic Teen? Time to Get Creative...
Ep 99: “Mom! Dad! Can I Have Some Money?”
Ep 98: From Insecure to Marvelous
Ep 97: One Trusted Adult
Ep 96: Getting Over the Awkwardness to Talk About Sex
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
History Storytime - For Kids
Privacy Boys
Nonsensical Show
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Great Expectations
Dr. Laura Call of the Day
Focus on the Family with Jim Daly