Age: 16 Years

Developmental Milestone

• Brain Development: They have mastered thinking abstractly (also known as thinking outside the box). They understand how the world works and how they fit into things.  Most teens will also begin driving around the age of 16. Make sure they demonstrate enough responsibility to handle driving. 

• Physical: At this time, girls are beginning to slow down in their growth, while boys may still be growing. Some boys may even begin to just start puberty. Boys will begin to get taller at a rapid rate. Your teens will want to sleep more and eat more to keep up with all the growing they will be doing. This is normal.

Social-Emotional Milestone 

Their world revolves around friendships and romance. They’ll spend more time with friends or a romantic interest than they do with the family. They could also enjoy more alone time. At this time, sexual drives may be stronger. Talk to your teens about the pressure to have sex. Make sure to let them know what you expect and make sure to create an environment that allows them to turn to you for questions. As hormone levels start to level out, they’ll be less prone to mood swings,and you will find fewer conflicts between the two of you. Sometimes, the decisions that they make will be right in their minds, but may not be right in your mind as a parent. If this happens, talk to your teen. Pay attention to signs of depression or sadness. Remember to reach out to professionals if necessary. 

Life Skills: Driving

Milestones: The big 1-6 is a huge milestone for your kids. This is when they start getting serious about driving. At age 15, most kids will start taking Driver’s Ed and can qualify for a learner’s permit. Getting a car involves a lot of responsibility, but it also allows them more freedom and independence. Here’s some information about driving. As a requirement, if you are under 18, you must complete a driver's education course. At age 14, most students can begin the classroom phase of the Drivers Ed course. At age 15, this is when you can begin to apply for a learner's license. There are 2 Phases to licensing. 

2 Phases of Licensing: 

1. Learner’s License*- A learner’s license lets you practice driving with the supervision of a licensed adult. You must be between 15-17 years old and have already completed either 6 hours of drivers ed or all 32 hours of classroom instruction. You must also receive a Texas driver education certificate of completion (DE-964) 

* Requirements: You must have a High school diploma, be a student in a public, private, or home school, and must attend 90% of the semester before the application, or Currently enrolled (45 days prior to application) in a program to prepare you for the high school equivalency exam. You can prepare your last report card of the most recent school year as long as it provides your name, absences, and complete listing of grades. 

2. Provisional Driver License**- This Entry-level restricted driver license allows you to practice driving with a licensed adult.

**Requirements while driving: A licensed adult 21 years or older must be in the front passenger seat when driving. You must hold this license for at least six months unless you turn 18. You cannot use any wireless communication device, even hands-free devices, other than for emergencies. 

These are the two licenses your child will be exposed to. As you begin to teach your kids the way of the road, make sure to let your child know of safe practices that they must do to keep safe on the road. This includes the importance of always wearing a seatbelt and driving without distractions, such as texting. This is a time when some teens will begin to start partaking in risky behaviors such as underage drinking, so make sure to warn them of the consequences of driving under the influence. Reminder! Drinking while under the age of 21 is illegal. Also, let your kids participate in hands-on car maintenance and teach them basic skills such as how to use a jumper cable or how to change a tire. Check our resource page on safe driving practices and how you can help your teen remain safe. 

Action Items 

• It may be a hard time having to deal with teenagers. This can include more risky behaviors and arguments. But there are still important life events that your teen may be going through. Be present.

• Their plans for the future are starting to become real, whether that’s college, trade school, or a job. Take steps to help your kid explore what they want to do in the future. Help them research schools, jobs, or part-time opportunities they may want to be involved in. 

• You might have to begin talking about issues like drugs, alcohol, and sex.