For many parents, there’s nothing quite as challenging as raising teenagers. In part, that’s because teenagers are famous for asserting their independence, both in terms of their personality and in terms of their legal autonomy (that they do this with a flair for the dramatic is not unusual, either). As a result, teenagers can often seem moody, irrational, and difficult to understand. But it’s not their fault–the real reason is in the brain. Understanding teen brain development can help both parents and teens get through those challenging times more successfully.
It’s important for parents to understand that the teenage brain is still very much developing. Often, this means it’s not “hormones” driving behavior–it’s cognitive capabilities. As a parent, there are some things you can do to help nurture healthy brain development in your teen–as well as provide support while your teenager’s cognitive abilities mature.
This is, after all, a very normal part of parenting (and of growing up). The more you understand your teenager (and their brain), the better you’ll be able to handle any bumps in the road.
What Happens During Teen Brain Development
If you have a teenager, you’ve probably noticed that–no matter how otherwise intelligent they may be–it often feels like they don’t think things through. At least, it doesn’t feel as though they fully consider the long-term consequences of their action.
This is because long term thinking doesn’t come naturally to teenage brains.
There’s a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. It’s located right behind your forehead, and it’s responsible for processes like planning and deep thinking. For most people, the prefrontal cortex does not finish developing and fully mature until their mid to late 20s. In teenagers, then, this part of the brain is still very much in development. As a result, your teenage child has a more difficult time taking the long view, weighing consequences, and thinking ahead.
What Are Key Changes in a Teen Brain?
Teenage brains are in an almost constant state of development–and they develop quite rapidly. However, that rapid development is not necessarily evenly distributed. Some parts of the brain mature more quickly than others.
The emotional centers of the teenage brain are developing incredibly quickly. This translates into substantial social benefits for your teen: it helps them build empathy, create lasting relationships, and react quickly to emotional developments. However, the strong development of the emotional centers can also cause your teen to experience more emotional outbursts and favor emotional thinking.
The more logical parts of the brain are developing, too–just not quite as quickly. In general, teenagers will begin to demonstrate a greater ability for abstract thinking and tackling difficult or challenging topics.
The brain’s “reward centers” are also developing–and starting to drive behavior. That is, the neural connections in the brain between “reward” and “action” start to stitch themselves together much more closely. This process isn’t unique to teens–but it does peak during those years.
In short, the teenage brain is exceptionally good at living in the moment. It’s more challenging to think about long term consequences or think through distant ramifications. Teenagers still have this capability, of course–but it doesn’t come quite as naturally as it does in adults.
How the Teenage Brain Impacts Behavior
Knowing what’s happening in your teenager’s brain is helpful. But how should you expect that brain physiology to manifest in daily behaviors? Here are a few examples of what you might expect:
Teenagers will tend to be more impulsive than adults. They might make very big decisions on a whim. This doesn’t mean they don’t care about what happens next–it’s just hard for their brains to consider all the possible outcomes in the moment.
Teenagers will also tend to be more emotional than adults. In part, that’s because their brains aren’t yet very practiced at placing their emotions in a larger context. This is often why, to a teenager, a bad turn of events (a breakup or a poor grade on a text, for example) will feel like the end of the world.
Teenagers might have a hard time explaining what they happen to be thinking at any given moment–or talking about why they’re doing what they do. The emotional and logical parts of the brain aren’t all that good at exchanging information in teenagers, so when a teen makes an emotional decision, it may be hard for them to later explain or contextualize that decision.
Teenage brains and behavior are usually discussed during your teen’s annual wellness exam. At this point, their emotional wellbeing can be evaluated too.
How Parents Can Help
At this point, it becomes easy to see why parenting a teenager can be a challenge! Luckily, there are some things that parents can do to help nurture healthy teen brain development. Among the most common are the following:
Create a plan for emotional or stressful moments. Teenagers aren’t quite as good as adults at thinking (long term) on their feet. So if a plan is in place, your teenager is more likely to make sound decisions. For example, making a plan for what to do when your teen is in a car accident or after a breakup can help give them an easy road map to follow.
Talk through consequences and long term thinking with your teens. This can help give their brains practice at doing the same thing. You can model how you might make decisions based on long-term criteria.
Make sure your teen is getting enough sleep. This is absolutely critical to cognitive development–and often neglected. Most teenagers generally need 8-10 hours of sleep per night.
Create a safe and supportive home life. Your teenager likely will not talk to you about their emotional lives if they don’t feel like they can be open around you (or free to be themselves). Open lines of communication require an approach rooted in mutual respect, safety, and support. This can help your teen feel comfortable asking for help and advice.
Try to keep your teen fed (in a balanced way). The human brain is a resource hog–and that’s especially true when they’re developing. Ensuring your kids get enough to eat (and plenty of nutrients) can help provide the resource your teen’s brain needs to develop in a healthy manner.
Helping Your Teen Grow Up!
The goal for parents, usually, is to provide a solid model for children to follow–and to create a supportive space to discuss possible long term implications of their actions. Teenagers are going to make mistakes! That’s part of growing up. When parents understand where those mistakes come from–and why they happen–you’ll be in a better position to help your teenager!
You can always ask your pediatrician for help as your teen grows up. Make an appointment at Children’s Healthcare Associates Chicago or Northbrook offices today to learn more!