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1-Page Summary of Brainstorm

Overview

Once you’ve reconciled with your teen, you’ll be able to discuss problems or behavioral issues that he will need to deal with better in the future.

Adolescence is a difficult time in a person’s life. Young adults are supposed to be figuring out who they are, while also making their way in the world. It can be chaotic and crazy, as well as awkward and risky for teens. Perhaps you’ve experienced this yourself or have teenagers of your own? Either way, you’re certainly familiar with all the problems that come with adolescence.

Teenagers are often portrayed as lazy, self-absorbed, and irresponsible. However, we rarely stop to consider the scientific reasons why teenagers act that way. It’s important for us to understand these issues because they shape our lives and determine how successful we will be in adulthood.

Here, you will get the basics of how the teenage brain works. You’ll know what it takes to make teenagers successful adults.

In this article, you will learn about the teenage brain and why it’s important for teenagers to take risks. You’ll also learn how we can thank the digital revolution on teenagers.

Big Idea #1: The Problem with Teenage Behavior

There’s no point in beating around the bush. Everyone knows that adolescence is a difficult time for most people because of all the changes in their lives. Even parents and teachers have trouble dealing with teenagers, but they shouldn’t think of them as war-like creatures. They’re going through a new phase, which involves questioning authority figures such as parents and teachers.

Teenagers can be annoying, even hurtful. However, if we understand why they act the way they do, it’ll be easier to deal with them. They’re essentially preparing themselves for going out into the world alone. From this perspective, teenagers’ criticisms of their parents are just a way for them to develop a healthy emotional distance from their parents and prepare themselves for leaving home one day when that time comes.

Teens are going through a lot of changes, so they enjoy trying new things and interacting with their friends. They’re essentially just practicing what it’s like to be an adult without parents around. It can be hard for parents to accept these changes, but they have to accept that teens need some time alone in order to figure out who they really are.

Of course, there are dangers in all this adventuring. Reckless risk-taking can have serious consequences such as drunk driving or joyriding.

However, not all is lost. There are ways to use this energy for good. We’ll explore these scenarios soon. First, let’s look at the teenage brain in more detail.

Big Idea #2: Teenagers know when they’re doing risky things, but don’t necessarily know when to stop.

The author’s teenage patient, Katey, was expelled from school because of her behavior. She had been drinking so much alcohol at a party that she needed to have her stomach pumped. However, she seemed surprised by the fact that mixing wine and tequila could lead to this kind of situation. It is not true that teenagers do things like this because they don’t know any better; actually, they are acutely aware of risks but are more prone to testing boundaries than adults.

Katey was aware of what trouble she could get into. It wasn’t that she got drunk at any old party; it was that she brought tequila to a school party where alcohol is forbidden and then managed to coax the school director’s daughter to start drinking shots with her. When prompted, Katey said she knew alcohol was a no-go! However, the excitement of breaking rules and getting the director’s daughter drunk proved too much for her.