Help Me Help My Teen

‘I love Maggie’s style. Quite simply, when she talks, we should listen’
Hamish Blake

 ‘A masterpiece … This book is the answer we’ve been waiting for.’
Dr Vanessa Lapointe

‘This book is worthy of a standing ovation and one of the best books I’ve ever read. 
Maggie is an incredible woman, whose knowledge will continue to save lives and improve countless people’s mental health.’
Shanelle Franklin, host of The Beautiful Nightmare podcast

Help Me Help My Teen
Supporting teens through tough times

Adolescence has always been a time of huge transformation, but today’s teens deal with challenges that parents may never have imagined. An increasingly digital world filled with social media, gaming and harmful content, along with changing cultural norms, has intensified the pressure to excel and ‘fit in’ – leading to heightened levels of stress, anxiety and depression.

Maggie Dent, Australia’s queen of common-sense parenting, believes that teens can handle these pressures with resilience and strength when they are supported by stable, loving connections with family, teachers and other caring adults.

Drawing on up-to-date research, a survey of modern teens, her own experiences as a teacher, counsellor and mother, and her memories of being a teen, Maggie provides clear and compassionate ‘what to do’ advice for some of the most difficult, sensitive topics – such as technology use, sex, drugs and alcohol, dropped school grades, mental health and identity – and shows us how we can provide a safe and supportive environment for all our teens.

Help Me Help My Teen is a reassuring, practical guide for parents to help teenagers navigate adolescence and grow into confident, capable adults.

PART 1: WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING FOR TODAY’S TEENS
1. The biological drivers: what’s supposed to happen
2. The teen brain: what is going on up there?
3. Understanding the turbulent emotional world of teens
4. The incredible importance of teen sleep
5. What is a lighthouse and why do they matter?
6. The secrets of effective communication with teens
7. Cultivating character and building resilience

PART 2: HOW CAN I HELP?
8. When is a moody, grumpy teen a depressed teen?
9. What to do when you find a vape in your teen’s bag (or worse, that they are addicted to vaping)
10. What to do when you find out your teen is sexually active
11. What to do when your teen ‘comes out’ or is confused while exploring their sexuality or gender
12. What to do when you find a bong, some weed or a small plastic bag with random pills in it
13. What to do when your teen comes home seriously drunk
14. What to do when your teen is experiencing significant bullying, including cyberbullying
15. What to do when your teen’s phone use becomes problematic
16. What to do when your teen’s gaming becomes problematic
17. What to do when your teen hates their body and you suspect their eating habits might be disordered
18. What to do when you discover your teen is intentionally self-harming
19. What to do when your teen’s school grades suddenly plummet
20. What to do when your teen’s anxiety becomes problematic and prevents them from doing things that matter
21. What to do when your teen experiences a significant loss experience or a death
22. What to do when your teen experiences sexual harassment or sexual violence
23. What you need to know about supporting your neurodivergent teen through the challenges of adolescence
24. What to do when you are worried your teen may be considering suicide
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Appendices
Resources
Index