Dr Delinquent: A Guide to Decoding the Teenage Years

Description

A boy hated going to school. He claimed to be sick, or secretly left class halfway. His mother thought he was “allergic” to school. Digging deeper, it emerged that he was terrified his
parents were going to split up. Skipping school meant he could stay home to keep an eye on the family.

A girl was cutting herself. She loved the sense of power it gave her. She thought she had control over her life. In truth, cutting was her way of coping with a life so tightly scripted
it left her no say in it at all.

Why do young people behave the way they do? What goes through their minds and what do they wrestle with? In this illuminating book filled with real-life stories, counsellor
and clinical psychologist Dr Carol Balhetchet delves into issues underlying teenage behaviour and looks at layers of factors that can build up and come to a head.

Young people reading this book will get a better understanding into why they feel the way they do, while parents will see a bit of themselves — if not a lot — in the kinds of behaviour Dr Carol describes.

Edited by The Straits Times Schools editor Serene Luo, this book highlights parenting woes and mistakes, offers advice on communicating with teens, and ultimately gives hope that families can mend ties that have broken. ISBN:9789814827034