10 Powerful TED Talks for Parents of Teens
I remember coming home from the hospital with our first child. She was so sweet and tiny and helpless. My husband and I got home and looked at each other, thinking, “Well, what do we do now?
We had just figured out there was no manual, no step-by-step instructions to get us through the next day, let alone the next 18 years. Parenting is a lot of winging it – not knowing how to handle a situation, and asking friends or Googling it. And boy, can Googling it lead you down a rabbit hole!
And let’s not forget the ever-present worry. Am I raising a good human? Will she be able to support herself as an adult? Will he contribute to society in some way? Wait, why is she so quiet? Is something wrong and I just don’t know yet? We can drive ourselves crazy.
And parenting teens is even harder. Between the hormones, attitude, and increased dangers (driving, dating, alcohol, etc), you just want to tear your hair out. They want so badly to be grown-up and independent, but they just aren’t ready yet. Or we’re not ready yet.
Luckily, there are experts! We don’t have to reinvent the wheel or Google every single concern. Check out these TED talks for parents for some help through this thing called parenting!
TED Talks for Parents of Teens
How to Raise Successful Kids – Without Over-Parenting | Julie Lythcott-Haims
Julie Lythcott-Haims is an author and dean at Stanford University. Good intentions can lead to over-parenting and can actually limit our kids. It’s time to give our kids more control over their lives.
For Parents, Happiness is a Very High Bar | Jennifer Senior
Let’s face it – we’ve set an almost impossible standard for ourselves as parents. Looked at Pinterest lately? Jennifer Senior talks about how to set more realistic standards and give ourselves a break.
Lessons from the longest study on human development | Helen Pearson
Helen Pearson discusses the results of a 70-year-long study in the UK. They have found the most important factor in a child’s life is their parents. No surprise, but it can inform the way we parent.
My year of saying yes to everything | Shonda Rimes
The amazing Shonda Rimes started saying “yes” when her children asked her to play with them. And she was surprised when that act changed her family and career
How to Get Your Kids to Listen and Engage | Kris Prochaska
Kris Prochuska discusses how we talk to our kids. How can we change the way we talk with our kids and bring them more into the conversation?
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth
I’ve heard a bunch of interviews with Dr. Duckworth and they always blow me away! A former teacher, she studies why some kids persevere and others don’t. Why do some people work toward goals over long periods of time? And how can that change the way we parent and educate?
The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain | Sarah Jayne Blakemore
Understanding of the teenage brain has changed greatly in the last few decades. This TED talk catches us up on all the latest findings and their implications.
Body Sovereignty and Kids: How we can cultivate a culture of consent | Monica Rivera
Monica Rivera works with college students on issues related to sex and consent. F
Teach Girls Bravery, Not Perfection | Reshma Saujani
Reshma Saujani wants to raise more brave girls, not perfect ones. She believes that girls are socialized to be perfect, but that keeps them taking chances.
Why I’m Done Trying to Be Man Enough | Justin Boldoni
Actor Justin
Hopefully, these TED Talks for parents brought you a new perspective, a new idea, or at least a chuckle or two. Mom and Dad – parenting teens is hard, but you’ve got this!
Which TED Talk did you find the most inspiring or useful? Let me know in the comments below!
Related Posts: Top 5 Books for Parenting Teens, What NOT to Say When Your Child is Failing, How Parents Can Manage Teen Cell Phone Use, 9 Ways to Bond with your Teen over Christmas Break