Fear & determination show in his face, as he stands at the side of the bowl, wondering if he’ll make it, wondering how much it will hurt if he doesn’t, wondering if he’ll look sketchy as he tries to land. Everybody’s watching. His heart is pumping a million times a second. He gulps, he breathes, he goes, he lands.
Why in the world would anybody choose this adrenaline rush? To be scared by choice? To pursue a pastime that may or may not land you in the hospital? Over & over?
Turns out the answer is biology. Neurobiology and adolescent development to be exact. The brain of a teen is still finishing off, and develops from back to front. Without getting too technical, the areas that are responsible for the following, in order of ‘finishing’:
1) Physical Coordination
2) Emotion
3) Motivation
4) Judgement
Hmmmm. Is it a surprise, then, the drive for emotionally stimulating physical feats is so great before wise judgement is developed? As a matter of fact, we might not ever have tried anything at all if our judgement was developed first. Teens's brains need those experiences in order to wire the brain for judgement, thereby finishing it out. Can you think of any other emotionally stimulating physical experiences that teens have a drive for that might not be so beneficial to their overall or long term health? Drugs? Alcohol? Risky Sex? Crime? This mom will take risky tricks for her kids at the bowl any day.
Click here for more detailed information on risky teen behavior & a really cool diagram of the developing teen brain.
Just caught a little mistake in the linked diagram of the brain.....see if you can catch it!
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