Why Teens Act That Way

Psychologist, Author Explains: Their Brains Still Developing

(CBS)  The journey to adulthood can be emotional, to say the least. It's not unusual for teenagers to fly off the handle and be downright moody sometimes.

But psychologist David Walsh says this behavior is actually normal, when you consider all the changes taking place inside the adolescent brain.

He writes about that in his book, "Why Do They Act That Way?"

Walsh offers some parenting tips on The Early Show Monday.

Parenting teens, Walsh says, involves delayed gratification. You have to understand that the payoff for parenting teens won't come for years. It's an investment in the future. Don't expect your teen to appreciate the limits you set. The payoff for parenting teens comes after the "brain wiring" happens and they become the adults we want them to become.

"My one hope in doing this book is to give parents perspective, so we don't take all this so personally," says Walsh.

Click here to read an excerpt of "Why Do They Act That Way?"

It is published by Free Press, which is owned by Viacom, the same company that owns CBS and CBSNews.com.