"It's not just the phones": How to parent in 2025
Afternoons - A podcast by RNZ - Thursdays

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Puberty starts earlier, social media is everywhere, and the rise in adolescent mental health challenges is real. It's hard to be a teenager in 2025. The way we parent and teach our teens is shaped by the myths we inherit, what we did when we were teenagers and the science of brain development says Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist Matt Richtel. His new book draws on research and personal stories, offering insights into what drives teen behavior and the rising mental health crisis. Spoiler alert: it's not just the phones. The book is called How We Grow Up: Understanding Adolescence. He spoke to Jesse.