The Teenage Brain

For my first post I wanted to give everyone a background of how the teenage brain works. First, the teenage brain does not function the same way in which the adult brain does. Teenagers tend to use a part of the brain that creates them to think in emotional ways. Adults use a part of their brain that is used for well thought ought decisions. Therefore, teenagers do not really think about things when in conflict with others. They tend to just say what they are feeling emotionally and do not really think out what to say.

Another thing to remember is that the teenage years are important for development, especially in the brain. If you know what is the reasons behind why teenagers act the way they do you will be better prepared for handling these situations when they come about. Here are two tips you can take away from this.

1) The more time spent on reading, writing, math, music, and sports the better the brain will be built

• Every new experience creates a new connection within the brain. These connections are created by dendrites. The more routinely you do things the better the connection will be, the less you use these connections the the weaker they will be. Also, if dendrites are not used they can disappear within a matter of time.

2) Although the teenage years can be difficult and stressful, it is also an important time for learning. Find something they are particularly interested in and help them to expand on it.

• The teenage years represent a window of opportunity. This is a chance for them to learn something quicker and with more ease.

Reference: Feinstein, S. (2009). Inside the Teenage Brain: Parenting a Work in Progress. Lanham, Maryland, United States: Rowman & Littlefield Education.

~Kim