Harvard-trainedpsychologistandPsychologyTodayparentingexpertCarlPickhardtgivesparentsaneye-openinglookatwhattoexpectonrockyroadofmiddleschoolandhighschool,revealingtheFourFreedomsthateverychildmustmastertobecomeahealthyadult--andhowparentscanadapt,encourage,andgrowthemselvesduringthesetumultuoustimes.Parentingateenagerisnotforthefaintofheart.Itisduringtheseroller-coasteryearsthatfrustratedparentsfindthemselvesattheirwits’end,barelyevenrecognizingtheiroffspringastheymovethroughtheteenyears.CarlPickhardt,Harvard-trainedpsychologistandthevoiceofreasonbehindPsychologyToday’sadvicecolumn,“Surviving(YourChild’s)Adolescence,“sharescriticalinsightsandpracticaltoolsthatparentsneedtoknowastheirchildrenmovethroughtheteenyearstowardindependenceandadulthood.There’sareasontheroadisrocky--it’ssupposedtobe.Childrenmustpassthrough“fourunfoldingfreedoms“inordertobecomecompetent,independent,andconfidentadults.Howeasilyparentscannavigatethesetwistsandturnswithlesshand-holding,angst,andhittingthebrakesdirectlycorrelatestohowsuccessfultheirchildrenwillbe.Thefourunfoldingfreedomsarethese:1)freedomfromrejectionofchildhood,aroundthelateelementaryschoolyears,whentheywanttostopactingandbeingtreatedaschildrenanymore.2)freedomofassociationwithpeers,aroundthemiddleschoolyears,whentheywanttoformasecondfamilyoffriends.3)freedomforolderexperimentation,aroundthehighschoolyears,whentheywanttotrymoregrown-upactivities.4)freedomtoclaimemancipation,aroundthecollegeageyears,whentheydecidetobecometheirownrulingauthority.Witheachsuccessivepushforfreedom,bothparentsandteensneedtolearnhowtodolessholdingontoeachotherwhiledoingmorelettinggo.Dr.CarlPickhardtwillshowthemthewaywithcompassion,experience,andtime-testedguidance.
