Spring Break! Your Darling Little Princess in Paradise

ImpactLabAs hordes of teenagers and college students head to southern beaches and Carribean islands for spring break in North America, parents -- particularly of girls -- tend to worry. Have they done a good enough job of preparing the immature brains to make wise decisions, against all destructive peer pressure?

TelegraphThe judgment centers in the teenage brain continue to develop and mature, well into the 20s. Peer pressure grows throughout the teens and early adulthood, and too often overcomes the pre-frontal lobes' ability to resist -- leading to a sometimes permanent state of "groupthink." This is particularly dominant in university-indoctrinated child-adults.

Jennifer Pfeifer, professor of psychology at the University of Oregon in the US...said: "People tend to think of adolescence as the time when teenagers are really susceptible to peer pressure.

"That is the case, but in addition to that added susceptibility they are also improving their ability to resist it.

"It's just that peer pressure is increasing because they spend a lot more time with peers during this time and less time with family. So it is a good thing that resistance to such influences is actually strengthening in their brains." _Telegraph

Right. Teen brains continue to mature throughout the teenage years, on into the twenties. Sometimes the pre-frontal lobe continues to mature into the 30s. It all depends upon genetics, child-raising, individual experience, and luck.

The fatal island experience of teenager Natalee Holloway is, fortunately, an exception. But too many girls return from their spring breaks, class trips, and graduation trips with hidden scars, wounds, and disease which may last their lifetimes.

Not a particularly grand start to a wonderful love life. If you have children, try to prepare them for the full range of likely experiences -- including peer pressure and groupthink. Sex is only part of a full life's experiences. Help to make it a positive part, for everyone you influence.