When Should Parents Let Teens Make Their Own Decisions?

The court said that because of their youth, their brains are less developed, they are more impulsive, more subject to peer pressure and less able to see the consequences of their actions. Researchers have started to look into the development of the brain from the ages of 3 to 20 years old. Brain research by Thompson and others suggests that teenagers are unformed, less mature and less resistant to peer pressure than adults are. According to Thompson’s research, “gray matter, which brain researchers believe supports all our thinking and emotions, is purged at a rate of 1 percent to 2 percent a year” (89). He also states that, “these frontal lobes, which inhibit our violent passions, rash actions, and regulate our emotions, are vastly immature throughout the teenage years” (89). Teens do know what they have done and they are capable of understanding right from wrong but their brains aren’t developed enough to make fully mature decisions.

Adult decisions should have adult consequence many minors don’t think about their actions and how it affects others around them. According to

There is a hefty altercation over what the true age of responsibility is in young adults and whether the diverse ages they are given to acquire rights are excessively complicated. Growing up, teens are given four separate ages as to when they reach ages of “responsibility”, 16, 18, 21 and 25. These separate ages raise questions as to why the law has set certain age requirements to obtain different rights.

"There are two main features that seem to distinguish teenagers from adults in their decision making, during early adolescence in particular, teenagers are drawn to the immediate rewards of a potential choice and are less attentive to the possible risks. Second, teenagers in general are still learning to control their impulses, to think ahead, and to resist pressure from others."- Laurence Steinberg

The control adolescents express over the choices they make, like the rise and fall of the tide, is fluid and dependant on multiple factors. These factors--biography, biology and current situation--are essential to the adolescent decision-making process as they manage to influence, but not control, the choices we make.

Many define adolescence as the transition period from puberty to legal adulthood where one is in the process of maturing. “This transitional period can bring up issues of independence and self-identity,” according to Psychology Today (“Adolescence”). Adolescents are usually classified to be between the ages of 14 and 18 and traditionally regarded as “minors” by law. “Minors, as a group, are legally disabled, meaning they are presumed to lack the skills necessary for capable decision-making” (Rhonda). Adolescents are unable to make rational decisions due to the Prefrontal Cortex not fully being developed, emotional responses and other factors which may cause potential societal harms as well as risks to the minors. Adolescents should not have the right to make autonomous medical choices.

The article “Inside the Teenage Brain” by Marty Wolner states that recently, brain researchers have been able to do a great quantity of detailed studies on the human brain. Despite previous thoughts about the teenage brain, development of the brain through the teenage years is very dynamic. The teenage brain is still learning how to process certain information properly in the thinking part of the brain, so often teens may not process all the information necessary to make responsible decisions. Nevertheless, the teenage years can be very stressful for both parents and for teens. Getting through the teenage years can be difficult, but with the right amount of healthy communication, discipline and support the road ahead won’t be so rough. At this

Teenagers are often seen in society as careless and dangerous in the U.S. society. With many articles on adolescence, this thought stays true. Although, in a basic psychology book the author contradicts this thought. The author of a basic psychology book merely states that peers often coincide with parents on encouraging teens to do well. So, what’s the truth? The best way to answer this is to analyze articles that have strong support for their opinion on adolescence. An article by the name of “Why Teen-Agers Are the Worst” by Elizabeth Kolbert explores the possibilities on why teenagers may be dangerous. Kolbert’s thesis is “At moments of extreme exasperation, parents may think that there’s something wrong with their teen-agers’ brains. Which, according to recent books on adolescence,

Most of us want the freedom to decide how to live our own lives, but independence requires us to take personal responsibility for our actions. The freedom to make our own decisions can precede to us doing great things, but it can also beget poor decisions. Teenagers in particular have multiple decisions about high school, college, sports, and friends, to decide. I value that they are able to do so, but it can also be a challenge.

" Parents should not always force their children to do something but should listen to them instead. They should also spend more time with their children and try many other ways to talk with them. Teenagers are eager to become adults and have a strong sense of independence. If the parents often loudly reprimand them, not only hurt their feelings but it can cause their insecurity in adulthood. Don't scorn or ridicule the idea of teenagers, instead always ask for and respect their opinions.

Juveniles are not allowed to drink, drive without restrictions, get married or even sign a legal contract without their signature being invalid. They are physically incapable of making mature, well-processed decisions. The brain is not fully developed until at least the age of 20. Teenagers can not possibly be expected to handle the same consequences as fully matured adults. Research has shown that the rate at which juvenile violators of the law turn

These reasons can most definitely change the life of a teen. Many teenagers can most likely be able to relate to this. For example, we all want to experience what it is to live and how it is like out there in the world. As much as it sounds tempting, there is always the right time for that. Adolescents just want to try and have fun without actually stopping to think. This is what causes most of early adulthood problems. Particularly because they think they are seen as adults, then that is when they can do anything and just get away with it. That is definitely not the case for many. Many end up in huge problems. Even if parents allow for their children to have some what of the freedom they so desperately try to get a hold up they make mistakes. Which then leads to their parents restricting their freedoms even more. So, the big idea is that if teens are competent to commit a crime such as murder, robbery, or whatever the case may be, then they should be able to handle and suffer the consequences that come afterwards.

When parents have problems and don’t want their kids to know, they turn to friends for advice. They can discuss about grownup things like life issues, marital problems, or children problems. When teens have problems and doesn’t want their parents to get involved or know,

Adults usually make most of the decisions for young children, but adolescents must make many decisions on their own. For example, when I was a child, my mother would choose what I would wear for school and what was in my lunch box. But now, I have to choose what I will wear, what I will eat, what kind of job I want to have and many more different decisions.

I recently heard a quotation from a pediatrician who was stating: “It is ten times more difficult being a child than an adult, due to the many possibilities and choices you ought to be making”. Now, my own thesis on this is, when you are a teenager, you can multiply the diffuculty by a factor of fifty. A lot of young people find it very strenous taking the last step towards adulthood and their own independence. Especially when you have parents that, unconsciously or not, do not allow you to do so.