Giving a Fish a Bath

I attended the "Giving a Fish a Bath" workshop at the WMTIG meeting on Sept. 12. and learned some interesting facts about the teenage brain and why teens act the way they do. It was interesting to learn that adolescence lasts much longer now than it did half a century ago, mostly due to the environment and changes in technology. The presenter, Heather Higgins, told us that the brain, on average, isn't finished developing until age 24. Since I am 25, I found it quite astounding that I didn't completely mature until just last year! I also learned that teens often act with knee-jerk reactions because their brain isn't developed enough to think about logical, thoughtful reactions to situations. Instead they react with emotion and that's why they seem so moody. This was quite a lesson for me and I hope I am able to use the information in 20 years when I have teenagers of my own.