Huh?

Huh?

 

National Public Radio had a story the other day (http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=124119468) about teen aged brains and how they are not fully developed. Why teens are "sullen, self-centered and reckless." Scientists had originally thought "that the teen brain is just an adult brain with fewer miles on it." In fact, the real difference lay in the mechanics of the brain. It turns out that the frontal lobe is not fully connected to the rest of the brain. The frontal lobe is where weighing consequences, differentiating good/bad action and a developing a sense of what is socially appropriate lie. This explains why our lectures seem to get no where and why teens can be so frustrating.

 

It also turns out that habit wise; teens have a "more robust habit-forming ability" while adults often won't change no matter what. This makes addiction easy for a teen to fall into (a habit) but also makes learning easier (why teens can do so many technical things adults complain about but may not learn.)

 

This all begs the question, "What habits are you exposing your teen (child) to? Specifically, what habits do they see in you act on (forget your lecturing about what is good while you, in fact, don't do it) and in which you place a real value in? I think of church habits – regular attendance, prayer, Bible study, acts of service towards others, and going to Christian education. Alas, I see a real inconsistency in these while I see an almost slavishness in the habits of sports, extracurricular activities and grades. These latter habits are not bad but they do crowd out ones that will support our teens long after the others give way (and they will.)

 

What habits are you teaching the teen around you? Not the ones you hope to teach, the ones you are really teaching in the habits you keep and impart.