Attention span is about 20 minutes. Limit tasks that put excessive strain on joints, such as heavy, repetitive lifting. This is especially important for girls as they begin puberty and experience their growth spurt. During a child's growth spurt, rapid growth decreases a child's flexibility putting a child at greater risk for sprains and strains. Why Parents Need to Consider Growth and Development Show and tell an adolescent how to do a task.
Adolescents continue to learn a task best by seeing how it is done.
Set and enforce consistent rules. As peers become more important, adolescents may attempt unsafe tasks to get approval from their peers. Consistently role model safe behavior and provide adequate supervision. Rebellious, risk taking behavior and perception of immortality puts adolescents at risk for injury. Adolescents may choose not to wear personal protective equipment because it does not look good or because peers are not wearing it.