Reference no: EM133255868

According to the book "A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development by John Santrock"

Questions

1. Think back to your puberty. I know! Awkward, wasn't it? As you read in your text, some people mature earlier or later than others. Thinking just about the physical changes as described in this section (forget all the socioemotional aspects; we will revisit those later), did you mature early, later, or just about "normal"? What did you like about being in either of those categories? Would you have liked to be in a different category and why?

2. Did you know your brain is still developing? Right now, as you are reading this, neuronal connections are being made all over your brain, and your frontal cortex is most likely still developing! Let's think about this for a moment. I am sure you have heard of cases when an adolescent committed a crime and was prosecuted as an adult. Do think this should be the case if science has proven that the adolescent brain is still not developed? In particular, we know that the part of the brain that could stop an adolescent from doing something irresponsible that resulted in someone's death or injury is not fully developed yet. That teen's brain literally cannot stop him from doing something like this sometimes.

You can also think and discuss some of the laws we have in the US. For example, think about the legal ages for purchasing weapons or joining the military as compared to the legal ages for purchasing alcohol, cigarettes, getting a driving license, and even voting. What do you think about these issues as you consider what you now know about the development of the brain?

3. How much did you sleep when you were a kid? How much do you sleep now? Do you get the hours of sleep recommended in your book? Why or why not? See if you and your classmates share similar reasons why you get (or don't) enough sleep. What do you do to maximize your quantity and quality of sleep? (How do you make sure you get enough sleep?)

4. Do you know anyone who reached 100 years of age? For this discussion, I would like you to talk to your grandparents or great-grandparents and ask about their life. What is their advice on how to live a long life? Tell us how old the person you spoke to is and if they have an exciting story, you certainly can share it. If you cannot talk to that person but you know someone who knew them, for example, I remember my great-grandpa who lived till he was 93, but I was a kid when he passed away. My grandma, however, has told me many stories about him and the things he used to say about life.

5. I hope you enjoyed the previous page and learned more about stress. Now, let's share some of the strategies you use to bring your stress level down. What do you do when you get stressed out or overwhelmed by everything? Also, tell us what you have thought about or plan on doing but you haven't gotten around doing it yet. Last year and this year have certainly caused a lot of stress to everyone and because a lot of the venues some may have used in the past to destress (go to the gym or the yoga studio) may not be an option, we need to be creative in the ways we deal with stress. Let's see what you all can share and brainstorm possible ways for all of us to destress. Check out your classmates' posts and see if you find something new and interesting!

6. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa are two types of eating disorders. Another type is Binge Eating. However, constantly overeating can certainly lead to the development of health issues such as diabetes. As you saw in your book and probably have heard otherwise already, in the US we are struggling with obesity. Why do you think the numbers keep rising up? There are more and more gyms, programs, healthy restaurants, and so much more, yet, the statistics show little improvement. What has happened over the last few decades that may have contributed to this issue? Try to speculate and suggest what may have changed and you could even discuss this with your parents and ask them what it was like when they were young. Think about factors that can affect our weight.

7. I am sure these past few years have changed the way you live in many aspects, including exercising. Let's share some ways that you have kept active during this year. Share any good apps that you have tested out and liked on YouTube channels, or anything else. This could be a nice shared resource.