“I feel like she’s crazy. I mean, I know she isn’t crazy. But it feels like she is crazy. Is she crazy?”

If you have ever said this in your mind, under your breath, or out loud, you are not alone. You are among the several millions of parents around the world raising this amazing, often misunderstood, and erratic creature…the teenager.

Teens do amazing things each day. From studying 6+hours a day to engaging in after school sports and clubs to volunteering to holding down a job to hanging out with friends, teens do it all. (Holy cow! That is a whole lot of being social in 1 day!)

Your teen may be able to handle a lot on the outside, but it is important to understand there is a whole lot more going on inside. What I am talking about is BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.

Look at the word in all capital letters again. Take it in.

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.

That’s intense.

So intense those words are, it may look like your child is crazy. Rest assured, this crazy, intense time of life is just that, a crazy and intense time of brain development.

We don’t wake up one day and BAM, our brain is developed. This is a process that can take up until our late 20’s to complete. Different parts of the brain develop before others, so the part of the brain giving perspective, reasoning, and controlling impulses is one of the last to take shape. That’s a big deal because with limited perspective, reasoning, and impulse control, one can look pretty crazy!

Interested in learning about your teenager’s brain development so you can respond with more kindness, compassion, and sensitivity?

Check out:
“Maturation of the Adolescent Brain” by Mariam Arain, Maliha Haque, Lina Johal, Puja Mathur, Wynand Nel, Afsha Rais, Ranbir Sandhu, andSushil Sharma

The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain by Sarah Jayne Blakemore