December 15, 2025

# 351 What Modern Teens Need to Thrive

39 minutes

Are you parenting a teen in a world that feels far more complex than the one you grew up in? What if understanding the adolescent brain could actually help your teen not just survive—but truly thrive?

Today’s teens and young adults are growing up on a very different bridge to adulthood than previous generations. In this powerful and hopeful conversation, Colleen O’Grady sits down with Lisa M. Lawson, President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and author of Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children. Together, they explore how adolescent brain science—now understood to extend into the mid-20s—can transform the way parents guide, support, and relate to their teens. Lisa invites us to see teens through a lens of possibility rather than problems and introduces five essential “cables” that hold up the bridge of adolescence, from connection and education to financial stability and youth leadership. This episode is both deeply reassuring and incredibly practical for moms who want to widen the bridge for their teens and help them grow into resilient, confident adults.

Lisa M. Lawson is the President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where she leads national efforts to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. Since stepping into the role in 2019, she has championed bold initiatives such as Thrive by 25, focusing on the wellbeing of Generation Z ages 14–24. Prior to becoming CEO, Lisa served as Executive Vice President and Chief Program Officer overseeing all grantmaking strategies, and as Vice President of External Affairs, where she led development of the KIDS COUNT Data Book. Before joining the foundation, she spent 14 years at UPS in senior leadership roles, including President of the UPS Foundation. She is also the author of Thrive, a hopeful and science-based guide to understanding adolescence.

⭐ Three Takeaways for Moms

Teen behavior isn’t defiance—it’s development.

Impulsivity, emotional intensity, and peer influence are signs of a brain under construction, not bad character. Parents often serve as their teen’s “borrowed prefrontal cortex”—and explaining why decisions matter helps teens learn how to think, not just what to do.

Widen the bridge instead of turning it into a tightrope.

College, careers, sports, and interests don’t have to be high-stakes, one-shot decisions. Teens thrive when they’re allowed to explore, pivot, and learn by doing—building confidence and resilience along the way.

Connection is the strongest protective factor.

Teens don’t need perfect parents—they need consistent, caring adults. One solid relationship can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Parenting was never meant to be done alone; it truly takes a village.

Learn more at: https://www.aecf.org/people/lisa-lawson

Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/annieecaseyfdn

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