From Magical Child to Magical Teen: A Guide to Adolescent Development

by Joseph Chilton Pearce

A groundbreaking perspective on Nature's plan for full human creativity and intelligence during the teen years

• Shows what is at the core of today's serious social and psychological problems

• Explores the sexual and spiritual stage of adolescent development

• Details the connection between adolescent brain and heart development and the issue of nature vs. nurture

• By the author of Magical Child (250,000 copies sold)

Something is supposed to happen during the adolescent years--something greater than MTV, video games, and the Internet. Joseph Chilton Pearce describes this something as the natural mandate for post-biological development--the development of the sexual and spiritual senses and expansion of our growth process outside of our bodies and into the physical world that surrounds us.

Though first written in the mid 1980s, the message of From Magical Child to Magical Teen is even more compelling and helpful today--especially for those who live with and work with adolescents. Drawing on the stages of development outlined by Swiss biologist Jean Piaget and the brain research of neuroscientist Paul MacLean, Pearce demonstrates how nature has built into us an agenda for the intelligent unfolding of our lives. He offers a powerful critique of contemporary child-rearing practices and a groundbreaking alternative to existing perspectives on adolescence so we can unleash our greatest potential, as well as that of our children, in order to experience our fullness in the manner nature intended all along.

Genres: Parenting, Psychology

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 24, 2003

About the author

For nearly half a century Joseph C. Pearce, who prefers to be known simply as Joe, has been probing the mysteries of the human mind. One of his overriding passions remains the study of what he calls the "unfolding" of intelligence in children. He is a self-avowed iconoclast, unafraid to speak out against the myriad ways in which contemporary American culture fails to nurture the intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs and yearnings of our young people. Part scholar, part scientist, part mystic, part itinerant teacher, Joe keeps in close touch with the most brilliant men and women in each field of inure relevant to his guest. He creates a unique synthesis of their work and translates the results into a common language-such a valuable contribution in these days of increasing scientific specialization.

Reviews

[Laurel]

I'm loving this book and SO thankful Pam Leo introduced Joseph Chilton Pierce to Maine (and our moms group) all those years ago! His knowledge of the brain and the heart/brain connection is a valuable read with two teens currently in tow. I'm enjoying looking at parenting from a scientific place rather than a philosophical one for a change.

[Ricardo Acuña · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Pearce's books very interesting to know about the psychological and spiritual development path of child and teens. It continues (and some parts repeats) the Magical Child.