Teenagers. We’ve all been one at one time or another, and we probably remember how fraught those years were. Growing up is risky, there’s no way around it. But why did we, as teens, get pulled toward taking dangerous chances in the first place? And, now that we’ve grown up, how can we help the next generation of teens develop good judgment, especially when whatever we say seems to fall on deaf ears?

These questions are at the heart of Dr. Jess P. Shatkin’s new book, Born to Be Wild. Shatkin, a nationally recognized expert on child and adolescent psychiatry, has learned that giving kids dire statistics or telling them to just say “no” doesn’t work. Chronicling the latest research on the adolescent brain and effective parenting programs, he provides a path for parents, teachers, and others who want to help guide kids toward making better choices around risk.

I interviewed Shatkin about his book and what it has to teach us about the trials and tribulations of adolescence.

[For more on this story by JILL SUTTIE , go to https://greatergood.berkeley.e...eenagers_manage_risk]