by Dennis Coates | May 15, 2023 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Parenting, Parenting Books
This fact of adolescence is massively important but all too easy to forget: At puberty their brains are primed to develop the kind of critical thinking that will make them successful as adults. At puberty, the brain cells in their prefrontal cortex, the part of the...
by Dennis Coates | Jan 22, 2023 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Alcohol, Critical Thinking, Drugs, Education, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Books, Teen Driving, Teen Success
60 years ago, I drove the family car through the heart of Stuttgart, Germany. No one else was in the car. I was a responsible kid, and I was doing my best to stay safe and arrive home without a mishap. But like every young driver, I had a lot to learn. I was ignorant...
by Dennis Coates | Aug 15, 2022 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting Books, Teen Success
When asked about teen brain development, I’m challenged to boil a huge amount of research down to a few facts. Here’s how I explain it: At the onset of puberty, a child’s body and brain are flooded with growth hormones. The resulting changes in the...
by Dennis Coates | Jun 17, 2022 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting, Parenting Books, Teen Success
If you like to read, here’s a good article from the Stanford Children’s Health website about the developing teenage brain. It attempts to explain how teens eventually grow out of thinking emotionally to thinking logically. As the article says, not all...
by Dennis Coates | May 10, 2022 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Parenting, Peer Pressure, Personal Strength, Self-Esteem, Teen Culture, Teen Suicide
As I write this, I’m aware that these are troubled times. So I was alarmed but not surprised at reports of a rising trend in teen suicide. The CDC says that suicide is the second leading cause of death among teenagers. The word “unthinkable” comes to...
by Dennis Coates | Apr 25, 2022 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Parenting, Parenting Books, Teen Success, Teen Suicide
Across the street lives a beautiful family: a nine-year-old boy, a four-year-old girl, and parents who spend a lot of time with them outdoors teaching them things. A lot of fun. A lot of love. I’ve enjoyed watching the kids grow up. I sometimes wonder what the...
