I never thought I’d be recommending a parenting-advice book. In 2020, I wrote an entire book, The Problem With Parenting, criticising the detrimental effect of parenting professionals on family life. But Stella O’Malley’s new parenting book, What Your Teen is Trying to Tell You, is different. It deserves our attention.

O’Malley is an Irish psychotherapist best known for her work around gender. She and her colleague, Sasha Ayad, host the popular Gender: A Wider Lens Podcast. She is also the founder of Genspect, a professional organisation dedicated to creating a higher standard of care for gender-questioning children. She has written two previous books for parents: Cotton Wool Kids, which argues that parents need to allow children some freedom, and Bully-Proof Kids, a parents’ guide to the challenges of adolescent social life.