Teenagers and the Brain!!
From the book, Evolve Your Brain by Joe Dispenza writes this about the frontal lobe and teenagers:

One of the reasons teenagers are so impulsive is that the frontal lobe takes time to develop fully. In an article published by Nature magazine in 1999, researcher Jay Giedd and his associates from the National Institute of Mental Health clearly demonstrates that frontal lobe development continues throughout adolescence and into the mid-twenties.

When we are teens, not only are we bombarded with a cascade of raging hormones, but we also lack the kind of impulse control that adults have, or at least should have.

Teenagers definitely think about things differently than adults and the reason is simple. They do not yet have the hardware to process complex reasoning.

Their frontal lobe is still developing. At the same time, their AMYGDALA, which sits deep in the midbrain and is involved in their gut reactions (our fight or flight response), is more active than the higher centers for reason (such as the frontal lobe).

A low level of activity in the frontal lobe will lead to poor control over impulsive behavior and emotions, while an overactive amygdala will lead to higher levels of emotional reactions and impulsive decision making.

Teenagers often do make decisions based on feelings. We sometimes cannot reason with a teenager, because their frontal lobe is not fully functional for rational thought.

This accounts for why teenagers are so impetuous; their frontal lobes cannot hold the reins of the emotional self. The result is clear: they react before they think.

So, what does this mean?

Teens are impulsive and do not think before they do something.

Rational conversations can be difficult for teens to truly comprehend since that part of the brain is not fullly functioning yet.

Teens still need to be told how to make wise decisions and there is a consequence for a particular decision, that can help them for later on in life.

NO LONG LECTURES!!! Teens do not always listen after they hear that they are in trouble. So, be short with what you want to say and maybe even speak in TEEN Language!

Here’s an example: Dude, your socks stink, and girls will like you more when you wash your socks.

Parents: NO LONG LECTURES about where they are going to be in the future based on their decisions today,, I am not saying that you cannot tell them that “later in life” they may regret some of their decisions or that there will be a huge consequence to pay, but their “later” is when their favorite TV show is on, not the same “later” as parents see it: after high school and thereafter.

So, it’s true: Teens are impulsive; they do not think; they do not always understand reasoning. So be patient, explain briefly, put it in their language and remember,, they will grow up!