My guest today is Dr. Adam Price. Dr. Price is a clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience working with children and teens. He is also the author of “He’s Not Lazy: Empowering Your Son to Believe in Himself.” During our conversation, Dr. Price explains what he means when he says that teenagers aren’t lazy. We also discuss the true underlying issue that causes our teens to opt out, and why Dr. Price believes that we must encourage our teens to do things that make them feel proud.
About Dr. Adam Price
Adam Price, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience working with children and teens. As the former Director of Outpatient Services at Newark Beth Israel Hospital and Associate Director at Family Connections, a mental health agency, he has supervised and trained numerous clinicians in family and child therapy. He maintains a private practice in New York City and Chatham, New Jersey. Dr. Price has published articles on family and child therapy in publications including The Wall Street Journal and Family Circle, and is the author of the book He’s Not Lazy: Empowering Your Son to Believe in Himself. Dr. Price has presented widely to both parents and educators on opting out, child development, and learning disabilities, and has appeared on “Good Day New York” and other programs to discuss topics ranging from discipline to the impact of video games on children.
Episode Highlights
- Teenagers aren’t lazy
- Helping teens figure out what they want
- The paradoxical response
- The underlying problem is fear of failure
- Parents tend to rush development
- How teen boys and girls achieve their status
- The need for objectivity and empathy
- Teens won’t talk to us unless they know we are listening
- Don’t take anything your teen says personally
- As a parent, in order to win, you have to lose
- The uneven path to development
- Executive functioning is a growing, developing ability
- Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
- Autonomy comes with accountability
- Teach boys about their feelings at a young age
- Encouraging teens to do things that make them feel proud
- Capability + Accountability = Pride
Resources
He’s Not Lazy by Adam Price, Ph.D
He’s Not Lazy Guide to Better Grades and a Great Life: A Workbook for Teens and Parents by Adam Price, Ph.D
The Unmotivated Teen: Helping Your Son Move From Defiance to Self-Reliance (Psychology Today Blog) by Adam Price, Ph.D