Teenage Wasteland

Congratulations!  You are the parent of a teenager!  Interestingly, “teenagers” as a demographic have only been around since about 1940.   Before that time, there was very little transition time between childhood and adulthood.  In fact, around 150 years ago, the time a person hit puberty and the time it was socially acceptable for them to marry was almost the same time! [i] Adolescence has been gradually lengthening over time, and now it lasts about a decade.  As education requirements and earning a living get tougher, adolescence just gets longer.  Today, the average college graduate earns about what the average high school graduate earned 40 years ago.[ii]

This prolonged adolescence can sometimes result in a person whose body is that of an adult and whose mind is mostly that of a child.  This can be a dangerous mix!  Now add in the fact that the level of adult responsibilities is lower in teens today, so that they have more leisure time and expendable cash than ever before.  But wait, it gets worse!  Teenagers are attracted to risk and novelty.  Anything that seems risky, or is new (at least to them), can be an attraction.  Sometimes all these factors combine to spell disaster!  Teens may make poor decisions because of a risk or novelty attraction which can affect their grades, relationships, jobs, and futures.  No wonder we parents are getting more and more gray-haired every day!

 It is a fact that humans do not have a fully-developed pre-frontal cortex until around the age of 25.  This is the area of the brain which rules judgment.  It is the last part of the brain to develop.  This makes sense when you consider that a teenager can do differential calculus, but cannot make sound decisions in areas requiring judgment (can anyone say “car wreck”?).[iii]

There are a few things you can do for your teenager in light of these facts. 

ü  Work to provide situations in which the teen can take positive risks, such as creating in the kitchen, or starting a small business. 

ü  Provide different experiences whenever possible to satisfy their craving for novelty. 

ü  Stay involved in your teen’s life!  Many studies have shown that parent involvement is a major factor in decision-making and risk-taking in teens.  Monitoring their activities, online and off, is your responsibility, and your right.  Surveys show that teens make better decisions in all areas of their lives when closely monitored by parents.[iv]

 

I W8 is a program of Rise Up!  •  PO Box 4426, Johnson City, TN 37602 
Phone: 423.610.1242  •   Email: info@RiseUpForKids.com