Parenting Connections

My story starts on a Florida beach, where I was born. My mom, 32 and in her third marriage, was 11 years older than my dad. I was her 8th child. My dad, 21, married her because she was pregnant with me. Growing up, I was a daddy's girl. Then, at age 10, everything changed.

The CDC confirms: certain things are highly addictive and harm adolescent brains. Your brain isn't fully developed until 25 (or even 27 for males!). Messing with your brain early can have lasting effects because the brain doesn't heal like the body. Damaging it before 25 might impact you forever.