The Breakthrough Years

The Breakthrough Years by Ellen Galinsky challenges the common warning many parents of newborns hear: "Just wait until they're a teenager!" What if this phase doesn't have to be stressful?

Child development expert Ellen Galinsky disputes widely held assumptions about adolescents and provides fresh perspectives for parents and others to better understand and interact with them in ways that help them thrive.

By integrating the latest research on cognitive neuroscience with an extensive set of studies of young people aged nine to nineteen and their families, Galinsky reveals that adolescents don't wish to separate entirely from their parents but rather seek a different type of relationship. They prefer to be helpers instead of being helped, and social media can actually serve as a positive influence for teens.

Galinsky introduces the Shared Solutions framework and Possibilities Mindset, showing how to transform daily conflicts into opportunities for problem-solving where both teens and parents feel heard and respected. The book guides parents on encouraging positive risk-taking behaviours in their children, such as standing up for themselves, making new friends, and aiding their communities. It also outlines how to cultivate five essential executive function-based skills that will help them succeed now and in the future.

The Breakthrough Years redefines adolescence as a period of potential for both teens and adults, presenting breakthrough opportunities for connection.