Page 44 - Silver Lakes_Issue 9_2022
P. 44

TODAY’S CHILD



        their melatonin (a hormone made in the body
        that  regulates  sleep  cycles)  rises  and  falls
        later in the day than in adults. This explains
        teens being able to party till the early hours
        of the morning.

        Brain development
        From  the  day  we  are  born  and  throughout
        our childhood, the brain builds connections
        between  neurons.  It  then  starts  to  prune
        back  (remove)  redundant  neural  pathways,
        allowing  for  more  efficient  networks.  This
        process  makes  a  child’s  brain  particularly
        malleable and enables a baby to grow into a
        toddler.                             advancement,  their  access  to  the  wider   Grounding  a  teenager  also  serves  no  real
                                             world  is  immediate  and  communication   purpose,  she  adds.  Rather,  teach  your
        Certain  perceptual  and  motor  skills  such   takes  place  at  the  touch  of  a  button.  It’s   teenager to be responsible and accountable
        as  language  are  stabilised  long  before   also a time of invention, flux and creativity,   for the choices they make by getting them
        adolescence,  making  these  skills  harder  to   where new ways of interacting and learning   to work on solving the problems that arise
        learn after this childhood phase.    are  occurring  at  breakneck  speed.  This   in their daily lives.
                                             poses  questions  about  how  best  we  can
        Still,  the  frontal  cortex  continues  to  build   parent  and  guide  our  children.  It  also   Reward considerations
        and prune networks throughout puberty and   means that studying in the traditional ways   Increased  dopamine  activity  in  teenagers
        into  early  adulthood.  Frontal  and  parietal   may not apply in the near future.  means that praise and positive feedback are
        lobe development continues and appears as                                 important.  The  sooner  your  child  receives
        increasing amounts of white matter on MRI   In addition, research shows that teenagers   feedback, the more of an impact it makes.
        scans. These developing areas are important   experience increased activity in the medial   This is evident when it comes to schoolwork.
        for enabling a person to regulate emotions,   prefrontal  cortex.  This  area  of  the  brain  is   Praising the child for the hard work they’ve
        problem-solve,  maintain  attention  and   related to self-evaluation and has to do with   put  in  will  encourage  them  to  engage
        engage  in  abstract  reasoning.  Intellectual   how we interact with and respond to others.   meaningfully  with  their  work.  The  positive
        stimulation is vital at this age, when there is   While it’s important for teenagers to form   spinoff is that you’re helping your teenager
        huge capacity for learning.          friendships,  interacting  with  others  can  be   to make the most of their brain’s ability to
                                             difficult,  especially  for  teens  subjected  to   absorb and process information rather than
        Brain  imaging  shows  that  the  areas  of  the   peer  pressure  and  those  who  suffer  from   to  simply  engage  in  rote  learning.  Today’s
        brain  associated  with  reward  generally   social anxiety.              demands  on  teens  mean  that  academic
        develop more quickly than those associated                                study has to be about actively engaging with
        with  inhibitions  and  self-control  –  which   Based on their brain development, teens will   the work.
        explains  a  lot!  The  scans  show  greater   be less able to think before they act, consider
        dopamine activity in teenagers compared to   consequences  of  actions  and  to  change   Ultimately,  the  tried  and  tested  ways  of
        adults  and  younger  children.  Dopamine  is   dangerous  or  inappropriate  behaviours.  In   parenting  will  always  apply:  maintaining
        associated  with  pleasure  and  curiosity.  This   turn, they are more likely to be impulsive,   open  communication  channels;  showing
        explains why teens are more likely to try new   engage  in  risky  behaviour,  misread  social   genuine interest in what your teen is feeling
        experiences.                         cues and emotions, and get into fights.  or going through; and taking the time to help
                                                                                  them process their challenges.
        The willingness to try out new things can be   What to focus on
        positive as it enables the teenager to focus   When  it  comes  to  disciplining  your   We now know that changes in the brain can
        on their personal development, assess their   teenager,  proceed  with  care,  advises   be  shaped  by  action.  This  implies  that  the
        boundaries  and  acquire  decision-making   psychologist  Terri  Apter.  Teens  won’t   more we practise skills such as self-control,
        skills. For example, embarking on a romantic   respond  well  to  anger  because  of  their   emotional  regulation  and  establishing  a
        relationship will help a teen understand what   heightened emotional and social sensitivity.   good work ethic, the better the outcome will
        kind of partner they want in life.   “Even  though  it’s  tempting  to  shout,  this   be. The teen years can, therefore, set a solid
                                             will be counter-productive. Your child is so   foundation for adulthood.
        Adolescents  today  are  growing  up  in  a   alert  to  the  emotional  message  that  they
        more  open  society,  aided  and  abetted  in   won’t hear any of the logic you’re trying to   www.lifetalk.co.za
        large  part  by  technology.  Thanks  to  digital   impart.”              www.lifetalkwithgod.com


        42 | INTRAMUROS OCTOBER 2022
   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49