Thank goodness that the youth of today still have their "why can't it be so?" perspective. If they didn't, the world may be lost to the skeptics, nay-sayers, and those who have given up hope.
As the adolescent brain develops and the frontal lobes (the area directly behind your forehead) expand into higher level thinking, adolescents adopt an idealistic perspective. For many teens, this time of development allows them to think about larger concepts such as "justice", "peace", "fairness", "advocacy", "social justice", and "global community" for the first time. The child's brain remains very concrete in thought, where the adolescent brain tries to define the gray areas.
They question why there are hungry people in the world when they see food being thrown away every day.
They wonder why aren't all communities recycling when it is so easy.
They protest corporations that harm the environment.
They gather in small groups to start a larger movement.
They create websites, YouTube videos and blogs to educate the masses on the atrocities of the world.
They unite to remember friends killed by the many different forms of violence that are in our communities.
They collect food for the hungry in their neighborhoods.
They sale items as fundraisers to subsidize their schools that are getting less and less financial support.
They sign petitions to tell legislative leaders what is wrong with the law and how it needs to be changed.
Even though adolescents are characterized as being very egocentric (which is true in some areas), they, like the rest of us, have the natural desire to "belong." We are social animals, even if it just socializing with friends on Facebook. We like to be part of groups, whether they are in-person or electronic communities.
The group gives us the idea that we are accepted, included, and welcomed by people who like us. It affirms for us that our existence matters.
This "belonginess" is related to one of Eric Berne's psychological hungers that is in every human: recognition. [The other two hungers are stimulation & structure.] Children will seek attention to know that "If I have an impact, I know that I exist." Hopefully they are getting positive attention, but if not, they will seek negative attention.
The motivating factors of recognition and belonginess are the foundations for youth groups around the world. [They are also the motivating factors for adult groups as well.] These groups choose a goal and the members work together to make a change. They are not limited by social conventions that tell them it cannot be so, but allow their higher levels thoughts of "what if" to save the world.
Below are links to some of these incredible youth groups working on this Earth Day:
Please recycle, reuse, reduce, renovate, reform and rejuvenate.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Could Sex Education and Information really be Bad for the Adolescent Brain?
The slogans "Knowledge is Power" or "Information is Power" are becoming more popular with computer companies, cell phone sellers, colleges, national movements and in local classrooms. The premise is that the more education/information you have, the better informed you will be to make the right choices for yourself. You will be a more powerful person in whatever endeavors you choose to pursue.
What boggles my brain is when people what to curtail that power by not supplying the knowledge and education to the people who need it the most. Adolescents are not adults, thus have less experiences and "life lessons" to use as references. Their decision making abilities, the balancing of rewards & consequences, and judgments around risks, are based on what they know is true or what they believe. All of these cognitive processes are being fine tuned in the adolescent brain at the same time they are given more responsibilities and independence in life.
In many areas of a teen's life, society agrees that the more information a youth has the better. For example, alcohol and drug abuse. DARE programs, special education days, and awareness months are started on the idea that if teens know the dangers of alcohol and drugs they will choose not to start using/abusing them.
Another example is driving. Driver's education was very basic when I went through the course. I learned how to turn the car on, push the gas peddle, break in time, use the blinkers, when to merge onto a highway, and parallel park. Besides the basics, adolescents are now learning additional warnings of driving on today's roads. They hear more about drinking and driving. They are told not to text on cell phones, to use "speaker phone" when driving so both hands can be on the wheel, and to keep the music down so it is not a distraction.
So why is there such a debate over sex education? Many people acknowledge that there is a rush of hormones during puberty that make adolescents "sexual beings." They begin to notice the other gender, or maybe the same gender, as sexual interests. They begin to date with bodies full of sexual feelings and brains that are not fully developed to manage it all. If people really believe that "knowledge is power" then the more knowledge given to the adolescent brain about all aspects of sexuality will make them more powerful in their ability to make choices.
Unfortunately the debate over sex ed rages on and it is presently in my "backyard." A Wisconsin County District Attorney is threatening to charge any health education teacher, who provides sex ed classes already, if they follow the new state law that calls for sex ed classes to adopt a comprehensive curriculum that offers information on abstinence and safe sex practices (i.e. how to put on a condom, using birth control, etc.). The charge would be "contributing to the delinquency of a minor" - a misdemeanor punishable by 9 months behind bars and a $10,000 fine. The District Attorney argues that youth need "all the information they can get about sex to make the best choices", but learning how to use a condom is promoting sex. WHAT?
My rebuttal: how can you say a certain "type" of information helps with the decision making process while a different "type" does not? A "good choice" or "right decision", especially in developing brains, is based on the PROCESS of making that decision, which includes having ALL the information.
What boggles my brain is when people what to curtail that power by not supplying the knowledge and education to the people who need it the most. Adolescents are not adults, thus have less experiences and "life lessons" to use as references. Their decision making abilities, the balancing of rewards & consequences, and judgments around risks, are based on what they know is true or what they believe. All of these cognitive processes are being fine tuned in the adolescent brain at the same time they are given more responsibilities and independence in life.
In many areas of a teen's life, society agrees that the more information a youth has the better. For example, alcohol and drug abuse. DARE programs, special education days, and awareness months are started on the idea that if teens know the dangers of alcohol and drugs they will choose not to start using/abusing them.
Another example is driving. Driver's education was very basic when I went through the course. I learned how to turn the car on, push the gas peddle, break in time, use the blinkers, when to merge onto a highway, and parallel park. Besides the basics, adolescents are now learning additional warnings of driving on today's roads. They hear more about drinking and driving. They are told not to text on cell phones, to use "speaker phone" when driving so both hands can be on the wheel, and to keep the music down so it is not a distraction.
So why is there such a debate over sex education? Many people acknowledge that there is a rush of hormones during puberty that make adolescents "sexual beings." They begin to notice the other gender, or maybe the same gender, as sexual interests. They begin to date with bodies full of sexual feelings and brains that are not fully developed to manage it all. If people really believe that "knowledge is power" then the more knowledge given to the adolescent brain about all aspects of sexuality will make them more powerful in their ability to make choices.
Unfortunately the debate over sex ed rages on and it is presently in my "backyard." A Wisconsin County District Attorney is threatening to charge any health education teacher, who provides sex ed classes already, if they follow the new state law that calls for sex ed classes to adopt a comprehensive curriculum that offers information on abstinence and safe sex practices (i.e. how to put on a condom, using birth control, etc.). The charge would be "contributing to the delinquency of a minor" - a misdemeanor punishable by 9 months behind bars and a $10,000 fine. The District Attorney argues that youth need "all the information they can get about sex to make the best choices", but learning how to use a condom is promoting sex. WHAT?
My rebuttal: how can you say a certain "type" of information helps with the decision making process while a different "type" does not? A "good choice" or "right decision", especially in developing brains, is based on the PROCESS of making that decision, which includes having ALL the information.
What do you think? Is Ben Roethlisberger getting away with Rape?
Maybe to no one's surprise there is another sports star accused of sexual assault of a woman. The case involves a 20 year old woman and Ben Roethlisberger, 28 years old, who is an award-winning quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers football team. [This is not his first sexual assault charge.] Like so many previous cases, the victim is stating that she was raped and the male "star" is denying that it was rape.
Here is one mother's summary of an ESPN report that laid out facts:
Apparently she [the victim] went to the bathroom and he [Roethlisberger] followed her in and locked the door. She told him "no" but he said something like "I take that as a yes." Her friends, who were with her, tried to get to the door to help, but his entourage blocked the door and wouldn't let them get near the door. Once she got out of the bathroom, she and her friends went directly to the police station. I guess the District Attorney wouldn't press charges because it would have been a "he said, she said" and the victim didn't want to go through that. Apparently the football commissioner and the Steelers are working together on what penalties should be assessed - a fine, possible suspension - who knows but the Steelers owners are not supporting him.
So what do you think? Is this a case of "he said, she said"? Should this be national news? We have judged that it is.
There is a great blog article by the Boston Area Rape Crisis Article summarizing the national media coverage of the event. Each identified reporter includes some sort of "victim blaming" in his story. Are we still in the dark ages where we accuse the woman for the crime committed against her?
Here is one mother's summary of an ESPN report that laid out facts:
Apparently she [the victim] went to the bathroom and he [Roethlisberger] followed her in and locked the door. She told him "no" but he said something like "I take that as a yes." Her friends, who were with her, tried to get to the door to help, but his entourage blocked the door and wouldn't let them get near the door. Once she got out of the bathroom, she and her friends went directly to the police station. I guess the District Attorney wouldn't press charges because it would have been a "he said, she said" and the victim didn't want to go through that. Apparently the football commissioner and the Steelers are working together on what penalties should be assessed - a fine, possible suspension - who knows but the Steelers owners are not supporting him.
So what do you think? Is this a case of "he said, she said"? Should this be national news? We have judged that it is.
There is a great blog article by the Boston Area Rape Crisis Article summarizing the national media coverage of the event. Each identified reporter includes some sort of "victim blaming" in his story. Are we still in the dark ages where we accuse the woman for the crime committed against her?
National STD Awareness Month
The epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases and infections is alive and well. So much so that the Centers for Disease Control has created a month for education and awareness. For facts and figures on how STDs are affecting our youth, link to: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/STDAwareness/
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Sexual Violence research from The Prevention Researcher
If you work with adolescents, then you must subscribe to The Prevention Researcher. It is one of the greatest resources showing how current research can be applied in practical, everyday programming.
You can buy individual articles from their website or subscribe to all the issues. It is well worth the money.
Here are five issues that I thought are related to sexual violence in honor of April being National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
You can buy individual articles from their website or subscribe to all the issues. It is well worth the money.
Here are five issues that I thought are related to sexual violence in honor of April being National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month
It saddens me that we have to create a month that brings awareness to sexual assault. Just like October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, April is that time when national, state, and local non-profits work on educating the public on the rates of rape, sexual abuse and sexual assault in communities across America. Education efforts also focus on prevention of future crimes, support for victims, and creating accountability for perpetrators.
Educaton must also come from parents, care-givers, adult role models and other youth. A great publication on how to raise sexually healthy youth is available from Advocates for Youth. The publication covers some of the adolescent development issues that take place during this time frame. Another popular article seems to be an article on appropriate sexual development in children from Self Help Magazine.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center produces documents and collects other resources that focus on adolescent rates of violence and programs working with our youth. I encourage you to check out the articles on the following topics:
Educaton must also come from parents, care-givers, adult role models and other youth. A great publication on how to raise sexually healthy youth is available from Advocates for Youth. The publication covers some of the adolescent development issues that take place during this time frame. Another popular article seems to be an article on appropriate sexual development in children from Self Help Magazine.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center produces documents and collects other resources that focus on adolescent rates of violence and programs working with our youth. I encourage you to check out the articles on the following topics:
- Telling It Like It Is -Teens Perspectives on Romantic Relationships
- Juveniles perpetrating sexual violence on minors; report from the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention
- Male victims - boys & men; sample article
- Restorative Justice efforts
Thursday, April 15, 2010
I LOVE PAYING MY TAXES!
Today is TAX DAY in the USA and what does that have to do with adolescent brain development?
Glad you asked.
Many of the national, state and local programs that support our youth are funded by Federal dollars and national grants. As a past employee at many of these organizations, I know how much every dollar is worth. I made a pledge to myself when I worked at these organizations, and even now when I don't, to never complain about taxes. For me, the least I could do to support our youth is to invest in their future by paying the Feds their money.
For another great perspective on investing in children, go to a current article on braininsights blog: "Brain Power through SMART Investments" [http://braininsights.blogspot.com].
Plus join BRAIN - Brain Requiring All Investing Now [http://braininsights.blogspot.com/p/brain.html]
Glad you asked.
Many of the national, state and local programs that support our youth are funded by Federal dollars and national grants. As a past employee at many of these organizations, I know how much every dollar is worth. I made a pledge to myself when I worked at these organizations, and even now when I don't, to never complain about taxes. For me, the least I could do to support our youth is to invest in their future by paying the Feds their money.
For another great perspective on investing in children, go to a current article on braininsights blog: "Brain Power through SMART Investments" [http://braininsights.blogspot.com].
Plus join BRAIN - Brain Requiring All Investing Now [http://braininsights.blogspot.com/p/brain.html]
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