Child & Adolescent Learning

When you catch yourself saying, “You should know better” to a child or adolescent, it’s a pretty good sign they DON'T “know better.” Have patience with children…their brains are not even fully developed until age 25. Keep their capabilities in context! Remember, they are not “little adults.” The younger they are, the more frustrating it can be working with them if you are unaware of their functional capacity. Children do not have the same brain function, verbal repertoire, or life experience in which to attach their learning. If you expect them to behave and respond the way you would like, every time, you probably need more training than they do. Be more explicit in your instructions to them each time and they'll get the hang of it. Support them through their mistakes (but don't fix the mistakes) and they'll learn even faster.

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