Today’s teenagers have been stereotyped as adventurous and harebrained individuals.  They are generally fond of experimenting with things until they get in touch with drugs, sex, guns, alcohol among others. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures, 16,000 young adults die each year from unintentional injuries and accidents.  The most common justification for teenagers’ care-free attitude is that their brains just aren’t developed enough to know better. However, recent research shows that in some cases the fact is just the opposite, the brain matures not too slowly but perhaps, too quickly.

According to a psychiatrist, an adolescent who engages in more dangerous activities have white-matter pathways that seem to be more mature than those of risk-averse youths.  White-matter is the brain’s wiring, the neutral pathways that connect the various gray-matter regions of the cerebrum that are independent of one another.  Having a mature white-matter is necessary because it allows faster brain processing speed.  Nerve impulses also travel faster in mature white-matter. Experiments also reveal that the more mature the look of the brain, the more adventurous the teenager tended to be.
Another possible explanation is that some teenagers whose brains develop more rapidly than others become uncomfortable and a little confused owing to the gap between their biological capabilities and the social norms they must follow as kids. Precocious development of these neural tracts may make some adolescents more susceptible to engage in behaviors that society considers too adult in nature for their chronological age. It is also a common notion that teens make dumb decisions because their brains are immature. In other words, having a more mature brain may actually motivate some teens to try out new and potentially harmful experiences.
For now, these theories are mere speculation, and the researchers concede that the interaction of white and gray matter is so complex that hard conclusions remain elusive. The results of the study are relatively bare and by no means conclusive. The human brain is so intricate in nature, and one has to consider the fact that there are other factors that come into play such as the environment and certain genetic predispositions that are equally complex to study.

These Categories are in our new Specialty Boarding School category.

Every parent wants the betterment of their children. Of all the troubled teens programs, parents seek those which offers solutions. Not only because parents want their money’s worth, but because they care for their kids. And this is where Cross Creek Programs come in to the scene.

The Cross Creek Center is located in Southern Utah, amidst scenic Lakes and National Parks. What’s great about them is that they separately offer specialized programs for boys and girls. Unlike other boarding schools which offers COED education, their therapeutic component for teens are divided into Cross Creek Center for Boys and Cross Creek Manor for Girls.

As parents realizes that an intervention should be done in order to change their child’s present predicament, the key factors they should look for in finding a suitable program are the following: character building, educational seminars, health and physical fitness programs, structured daily schedule, individualized academic instruction,group, individual and family therapy, emotional growth and personal development courses.

Cross Creek Programs have all the aforementioned characteristics that make up for an effective program, especially for junior and high schools students. With a poll satisfaction rate of 96% amongst parents, Cross Creek Programs are prepared to take on the challenge of giving basic life skills to your child. If you wish to read more testimonials and feedbacks, please visit their blog here. Their official website can be seen here.