July 22nd is World Brain Day, a great time to learn about the teenage brain and how it's still growing. The part that helps with making good decisions and controlling impulses is still developing. This is why teens sometimes make choices that seem risky or confusing to adults.

Recent research shows that too much screen time can hurt teen mental health. The teen brain is especially sensitive to the feel good chemicals that come from getting likes, comments, and notifications on social media. Social media can be both good and bad for teens. It can make them feel better and more connected, but it can also create habits that are hard to break.

Understanding how the brain works can help teens, parents, and teachers make better choices about screen time. This World Brain Day, let's work together to support healthy brain development by balancing screen time with offline activities and real-world friendships.

Here are the results from the 2024 Stamford Youth Survey for grades 7-12 about social media: 54.3% of teens said they felt better about themselves after scrolling through social media, and 60.4% felt more connected to others. But 35.5% said they had a hard time stopping—they kept scrolling, checking, and refreshing even when they wanted to stop.

Ferguson library hosts a wide variety of activities for adults, teens and kids. For more information go to Ferguson Library Website and click on events. All activities are free.

Download the July Guide