Page 31 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 10 2022

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Today's Child

new ways of interacting and learning
are occurring at breakneck speed. This
poses questions about how best we can
parent and guide our children. It also
means that studying in the traditional
ways may not apply in the near future.
In addition, research shows that
teenagers experience increased activity
in the medial prefrontal cortex. This area
of the brain is related to self-evaluation
and has to do with how one interacts
with and responds to others. While
it’s important for teenagers to form
friendships, interacting with others
can be difficult, especially for teens
subjected to peer pressure and those
who suffer from social anxiety.

Based on their brain development,
teens will be less able to think before
they act, consider consequences of
actions and change dangerous or
inappropriate behaviours. In turn, they
are more likely to be impulsive, engage
in risky behaviour, misread social cues
and emotions, and get into fights.
WHAT TO FOCUS ON
When it comes to disciplining your
teenager, proceed with care, advises
psychologist Terri Apter. Teens won’t
respond well to anger because of
their heightened emotional and social
sensitivity. “Even though it’s tempting to
shout, this will be counter-productive.
Your child is so alert to the emotional
message that they won’t hear any of the
logic you’re trying to impart.”

"Grounding or taking away privileges
from a teenager also serves no real
purpose", she adds. "Rather, teach REWARD CONSIDERATIONS to schoolwork. Praising the child for the
your teenager to be responsible and Increased dopamine activity in teenagers hard work they’ve put in will encourage
accountable for the choices they make means that praise and positive feedback them to engage meaningfully with
by getting them to work on solving are important. The sooner your child their work. The positive spinoff is that
the problems that arise in their daily receives feedback, the greater the impact you’re helping your teenager to make
lives". it makes. This is evident when it comes the most of their brain’s ability to absorb
and process information rather than to
simply engage in rote learning. Today’s
demands on teens mean that academic
study has to be about actively engaging
with the work.
Ultimately, the tried and tested
ways of parenting will always apply:
maintaining open communication
channels; showing genuine interest
in what your teen is feeling or going
through; and taking the time to help
them process their challenges.
We now know that changes in the brain
can be shaped by action. This implies
that the more they practise skills such
as self-control, emotional regulation
and establishing a good work ethic,
the better the outcome will be. The
teen years can, therefore, set a solid
foundation for adulthood.
www.lifetalk.co.za

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