How to guide your teen

In this info sheet

During adolescence, teens gradually distance themselves from their parents to develop their own identities. However, a teen’s brain has not matured and they are not always able to make the best decisions.

Even though teens don’t always let it show, they still need their parents’ guidance to help them make good choices and gradually move towards independence as they reach adulthood.

Independence: a learning process that happens over time and through various experiences!

What parent hasn’t already said to their teen, “Think before you do something!” or, “Think about the consequences of your actions!”. What’s important to know is that from age 12 to 25, the brain goes through changes that allow teens to develop planning skills. These skills include the ability to plan, to judge information or a situation, and to act accordingly.

The limbic system, the area of the brain responsible for seeking strong emotions, and the frontal cortex, responsible for reason, develop at different paces. This discrepancy can sometimes lead to an explosive cocktail of risk-seeking and feeling invincible. This magical thinking that “it only happens to other people” is therefore present during adolescence. This means that teens may have more risky behaviours. That’s when guidance from their parents becomes necessary: setting rules to keep teens safe while allowing them to have various experiences, develop and become independent.