Welcome to the New Year! I want to talk about something new with you that is as old as life itself; the teenage brain. Does it come as any surprise that adolescents think differently than adults? - Really? It’s becoming fairly common knowledge in the prevention field that the brain does not fully develop until the age of 25. So for those of us over that age, perhaps we need a new understanding of how to relate. How many of us in our teen years looked with all sincerity at our parents or another adult and exclaimed, “you’ll never understand me, ever!” and how many of us as adults with teenagers have found ourselves saying, “I just don’t understand you!” These judgments really set up barriers for communication and do not allow a parent to do that which they are entrusted; provide healthy guidance. Michael Nerney, in this presentation on brain development offers insight into the maturing brain, utilizing the latest in research, delivered in a common sense approach. Teens will always think and react differently for which there are bio-chemical reasons. However, with an increasing list of risky behaviors facing youth, the role of prevention is challenged to communicate long-term consequences to a mind that lives in a world of immediate reward. That’s why we design products for Café Prevention that engage today’s youth right where they live. Whether there is a need to address social norms by helping to demonstrate to a teen you have options or challenging them to understand what their degree is worth; helping our youth to make critical life decisions begins with proper information. Take a look at some of the new items on our site and let us know if you’ve found what you’re looking for or if we can help design a product you have in mind.
Here are just a few of the new products we have to offer which speak prevention in our youth culture.