How do bright, motivated young children become such unmotivated older kids and teens—and what can parents do about it?

This warm and empathic parent guide explains that kids who have lost interest in just about everything need more than simple encouragement or the "right" school, teacher, or coach. Ellen Braaten helps parents understand the myriad biological, emotional, cognitive, and social factors that affect motivation. By learning what makes their own child tick, parents can adjust unreasonable expectations and develop meaningful goals and incentives, as well as zero in on any mental health concerns. Braaten helps readers tailor effective plans to boost kids' confidence, desire to learn, and engagement in life.

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"Braaten distills research and decades of clinical experience into this hugely useful guide. The book throws a lifeline to parents struggling to understand a kid who seems to have given up. I would recommend this book to any parents looking to discover and enjoy their child's strengths."

  — Lisa Damour, PhD, author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

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Ellen Braaten, PhD, is Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and Visiting Professor at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.