What if the teenage years weren't something to fear but a breakthrough opportunity for growth? Listen in as my guest, Ellen Galinsky, unveils a fresh approach. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Adolescence is a transformative and extremely important time in human development. In her latest book, The Breakthrough Years, Ellen Galinsky shares what the research and adolescents need us to understand. What We Talked About: What adolescents want us to know about them What exactly are executive function skills, and why are they so crucial to children's development What can parents do to help their children develop executive function skills? Why turning conflicts into opportunities for learning is critical for all Agreeing and setting clear expectations with your children and leaving room for  mistakes Things to Remember “Parents grow and change in parenthood just like children grow and change.” "Executive function skills are the building blocks for setting goals, perspective-taking, communicating, collaborating, and problem-solving. They are fundamental to life." “Don't fix it for the child; instead, help them learn the skills to fix it for themselves.” “We need to make mistakes. Making mistakes isn't a mistake. It's the way we learn.” “We learn by trial and error, particularly in teenage years.” “The most important thing we can do as parents is to help our children find their passion.”  “Adolescents are learning to be brave.” “We need to help them be creators. Not Consumers.” “Young people who do best in the world have something they care about beyond themselves.” - Ellen Galinsky Click here for the show notes and extra resources.