IN HIS NEW BOOK ABOUT
REVERSE PARENTING, DEAN
BURNETT HELPS TEENAGERS TO
NAVIGATE THEIR RELATIONSHIP
WITH THEIR PARENTS. HERE,
HE CHATS TO US ABOUT THE
ADOLESCENT BRAIN
A TIME OF
CHANGE
Profile
RADARWHO IS THIS BOOK IS FOR?
Ostensibly and officially, it’s for 11- to
16-year-olds who are finding that they are
having a bit more of a tricky time with their
parents than they used to. It’s common:
your parents have been the bedrock of your
life and suddenly you find yourself arguing
with them a lot more. But, unlike pretty
much every other book which addresses this
subject, my book is an explanation for the
child or teen.
I certainly found it quite cathartic to
understand why that was happening, so
unofficially, I think the book is for anyone
who’s been a teenager.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS GUIDE?
Well, I could give you some spiel about the
‘sign of the times’ and the intergenerational
disputes, the strong political divide. Take
the environmental aspect: Greta Thunberg
is the leading voice of climate change, she’s
only 16. Right now, we’re at a very, very
important point in history where the older
and the younger generation are perhaps more
distant from each other than they’ve ever
been. Something which addresses that, or at
least helps people to understand it, could be
helpful, and I think it is an important thing
to consider right now.
But if I’m being completely honest, it was
my editor Jamie who first approached me,
and said: “I’ve got this idea for a reverse
parenting book. Would you like to write it?”
I thought, yes, yes I would, and that’s
pretty much what happened.“ e things that a ect
you as a teen will stay with
you for the longest time, the
rest of your life. Particularly
music, apparently”
WHY YOUR PARENTS
ARE DRIVING YOU
UP THE WALL
BY DEAN BURNETT
(£8.99, PENGUIN)