Honor Student Takes a Dare
Every day teens decide whether to drink or use drugs, how fast to drive and which college to attend. These choices take thought, guts and courage, but they get made and, for better or worse, life follows accordingly.
When teens make bad decisions, we shake our heads and say , "Kids these days!" and thank our lucky stars that we were to born in safer times when a wrong choice merely left us embarrassed or grounded for risky behavior uncovered by our parents. With a few fatal exceptions, even if a hospital visit or teen pregnancy was the result, our families and communities rallied to get us through our “stupid phase” and we grew into pretty reliable adults.
Today, when teens can lay their hands on the global internet, ever ready camera phones, assault weapons and, as the news reported this week, even a small plane, it feels more threatening. According to news reports, Brian Morris near Charlotte North Carolina rented a small Cessna plane, made three low passes over the packed football stadium at Hopewell High School and dropped a signed football into the end zone during the biggest game of the season.
Fortunately, Murphy’s Law took the night off, the plane functioned as it should and landed safely, greeted by authorities who hauled the pilot off for questioning. But, if a young man like Brian can make such a monumentally BAD choice, some would say, what hope can we have?
Fortunately, there is hope! The latest brain research lays the fault on Brian's unfinished neo cortex. At 17, although obviously intelligent, he is about eleven years away from a fully complete neurological network capable of rational risk assessment. Brian didn't consider the legal charges that may be brought against him and how they may effect his career opportunities down the road. He didn't consider the risk he brought into the lives of the families in the stadium below him. His picture of the situation was incomplete.
Consider this a wake up call to give kids the information they need. Let's include a class on brain development and the importance of using mentors when big decisions need to be made. We have an advantage. Kids are smart and they want to have a good life, they will listen.
Labels: choices, decision making, teen decisions, teens decision making skills
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