A Generation in Crisis: Supporting Working Parents with Teens

When 40-year-old marketing manager, Michelle,* first started seeing signs that her teenage daughter, Bella, was struggling, she immediately tried to talk to her about it. But, like most teenagers, Bella was resistant to sharing her feelings with her parents. The more Michelle and her husband tried to help, the more Bella pulled away.

The teen years are a difficult time for parents and teens themselves. Teenagers are more independent than younger children, so the hands-on care parents have been providing isn’t necessary anymore. However, teens aren’t yet adults because their brains are still developing, which will continue into the mid-to-late twenties. One of the last areas to finish developing is the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for planning, prioritizing, and controlling impulses.