Buccaneers SAIL Safe Accountable In Control Lead by Example

Please take time today to talk about kind acts that you have witnessed… What kindnesses are happening at B-UMS that need to be recognized?

Thanks again for your responses from last week’s drill. We will be sharing your responses at a later date. Drills are an opportunity for all of us to learn how to protect ourselves in case of an emergency.

Why do Teens engage in risky behavior? Question of the day… Why do Teens engage in risky behavior?

RISK Teens and young adults take more risks than any other age group. Despite educational efforts to provide teens with information about the dangers of thrill seeking behavior, some continue to engage in high risk actions. So how do we explain this? Kids keep doing risky things in spite of the efforts being spent on prevention programs!

Why do you think teens get involved in high risk behavior? Please share your ideas with the group.

What types of risky behavior do you see in your fellow middle schoolers? Some things we have noticed: Substance use vaping Texting and driving Sexual behavior Social media (posting inappropriate video/pics, spreading rumors) Internet based challenges (Tide pod, snow swimming, cinnamon challenge, Ice bucket challenge, bird box challenge) - remember these? Make a list of types of risky behavior that teens tend to engage in…

Did you know? On January 17, 2018 YOUtUBE announced a ban on video challenges that are dangerous. YouTube video creators have 60 days to remove dangerous videos or risk losing their channels. Why do you think YOUTube has been forced to take this step?

By using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers have found that: The section of the brain most involved in emotion and social interaction (temporal lobe) becomes very active during puberty, while the section most critical for regulating behavior (prefrontal cortex/frontal lobe) is still maturing. This makes teens more likely to focus on their peers in risky situations in an effort to avoid being left out.

Interestingly, MRI testing proves that adolescents are more likely to engage in risky behavior when they are with other kids. This is a phenomenon that goes away with adulthood. It is all related to the prefrontal cortex area of the brain which is not fully developed until age 25! This means that humans are not fully mature until their mid-twenties!

So, while your brain is still developing, what can teens do to live a healthy life? Limit your chances for getting into risky behavior. Stay away from things that you know will get you into trouble. Find safe but fun past-times to satisfy your need for thrill-seeking behavior (rock climbing, zip-lining, trampoline parks, scary movies) When in doubt, talk to a mature, trusted adult or older trustworthy teen. What other things can you do?

References https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-wide-wide-world- psychology/201506/why-are-teen-brains-designed-risk-taking https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&Con tentID=3051 https://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20070413/teens-are-hardwired-for-risky- behavior#1 https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/allthemoms/2019/01/16/youtube-bans- dangerous-videos-like-bird-box-tide-pod-challenges/2591803002/