# Age 16: Development, Research, and What Helps

> What's normal at 16: new drivers, first jobs and paychecks, sleep, dating, mood, and substances, plus what the research shows and practical ways to help.

- Stage: Age 16 (16 to 17 years)
- Series: Chorevia Parent Guides, newborn to 18 (https://chorevia.com/learn)
- Canonical URL: https://chorevia.com/learn/16-years
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-10
- Publisher: Chorevia (https://chorevia.com)
- Cite as: Chorevia. "Age 16: Development, Research, and What Helps." Last reviewed October 10, 2026. https://chorevia.com/learn/16-years

This guide is general education that summarizes published research and guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the WHO. It isn’t medical advice, and every child develops on their own timeline. Your pediatrician knows your child; if something feels wrong, call them. In an emergency, call 911.

## At a glance

- The first months of solo driving are the riskiest. Keep night and passenger limits in place for at least 6 months after the license.
- Phones are the big distraction. In one study, new drivers dialing a phone had about 8 times the odds of a crash or near-crash.
- Warm and firm works best. Teens who see their parents as supportive and rule-setting report half the crash risk of teens with uninvolved parents.
- A school-year job of up to about 20 hours a week looks harmless. Heavier schedules are linked to problems.
- Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep, but only about 1 in 4 high schoolers gets 8 on school nights.
- A paycheck makes a custodial Roth IRA possible. Credit cards can wait: under 21, you need your own income or a cosigner.
- If you're worried, ask directly about suicide. Asking doesn't plant the idea. Call or text 988 any time.
- The AAP recommends a meningococcal booster at 16. US vaccine guidance is in flux in 2026, so ask which schedule your pediatrician follows.

## Your age-16 checklist

- [ ] Write a parent-teen driving agreement and post it on the fridge
- [ ] Practice drives at night, in rain, and on highways before solo driving
- [ ] Make phones-away-while-driving a family rule, parents included
- [ ] Agree on a no-questions-asked ride home plan
- [ ] Look up your state's work-hour rules before a job starts
- [ ] Read the first pay stub together, line by line
- [ ] Open a bank account together and build a simple monthly budget
- [ ] Book the 16-year checkup and ask about the MenACWY booster and MenB
- [ ] Step out so your teen gets time alone with the pediatrician
- [ ] Hand over one family dinner a week, from shopping list to table
- [ ] Lock up firearms, medicines, and alcohol
- [ ] Save 988 and the love is respect line in both of your phones

For many teens, 16 brings car keys, a first paycheck, and a lot more say over their own days. This guide covers ages 16 to 17. For the year before, see the [age-15 guide](https://chorevia.com/learn/15-years); for college applications, financial aid, and turning 18, see the [age-17 guide](https://chorevia.com/learn/17-years).

## What's developing

There's no CDC milestone checklist for 16. The AAP calls ages 14 to 17 "middle adolescence" ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx)), and this section draws on AAP, NIMH, and CDC material about that stage.

### Body and growth

Puberty is winding down. In middle adolescence, most boys have started their growth spurt and some still have voices that crack; physical changes may be nearly complete for girls, and most have regular periods. Some teens get acne ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx)). By late adolescence, roughly 18 to 21, most have reached full adult height ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx)).

Teens need 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous activity every day, with vigorous activity, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening each on at least 3 days a week ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/children.html)).

### Thinking and the teen brain

The brain stops growing in size by early adolescence, but the teen years are about fine-tuning how it works. The brain finishes maturing in the mid-to-late 20s, and the prefrontal cortex, which handles planning, prioritizing, and decisions, is one of the last parts to mature ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know)).

In practice, your 16-year-old can think abstractly and see the big picture but may not apply it in the moment, when strong emotions drive decisions ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx)). NIMH stresses the upside too: the teen brain is ready to learn and adapt, and it is resilient ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know)).

### Independence, friends, and identity

Expect more arguments as your teen pushes for independence, less time with family, more time with friends, and a lot of concern about appearance. Peer pressure may peak at this age ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx)). Many teens become interested in romantic and sexual relationships, and some question or explore their sexual identity, which can be stressful without support from friends, family, or community ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx)). By late adolescence, most have a clearer sense of their own values and start basing decisions on their hopes for the future ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx)).

### Sleep and the school-day clock

Teens 13 to 18 need 8 to 10 hours of sleep in every 24 ([Paruthi et al., 2016](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27250809/)). In 2025, only 24% of US high school students got at least 8 hours on an average school night, down from 27% in 2015 ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/sleep.html)).

Biology is part of the problem. In adolescence, the sleep hormone melatonin stays high later at night and drops later in the morning, which helps explain late bedtimes and hard mornings ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know)). The AAP names school start times before 8:30 a.m. as a key, fixable cause of teen sleep loss ([AAP, 2014](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25156998/)). When Seattle moved secondary school start times nearly an hour later, students' median sleep rose by 34 minutes and median grades by 4.5%, in a before-and-after study ([Dunster et al., 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30547089/)).

### Mood and mental health

Many mental illnesses, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia, first appear in adolescence ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know)). There is some good news. In CDC's 2025 survey, 33% of high school students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness, down from 40% in 2023, and 14% had seriously considered suicide, down from 20%. That's still above 2015's 30% for sadness, and girls are hit harder: 43% of girls and 24% of boys reported persistent sadness ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/mental-health.html)). See [Ask directly about mood](#ask-directly-about-mood) for what to watch for and what to say.

### School, work, and plans

Sixteen usually means 10th or 11th grade. The PSAT/NMSQT is generally taken in 11th grade; it's a practice run for the SAT and the qualifying test for National Merit scholarships ([College Board](https://k12.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/psat-nmsqt-see-how-ready-they-are.pdf)). In October 2024, 62.8% of that year's high school graduates were enrolled in college ([BLS](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm)), so plenty of teens take other routes too. Many teens also start part-time or summer jobs after 16 ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx)).

### Behind the wheel

For many families, 16 means driving, and driving is the most dangerous thing most teens do. Per mile driven, 16- to 19-year-olds have a fatal crash rate just over 3 times that of drivers 20 and older, and risk is highest at 16 and 17 ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/fatality-statistics/detail/teenagers)). In 2024, 2,899 US teens ages 13 to 19 died in crashes, and crashes were the leading cause of death at those ages ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/fatality-statistics/detail/teenagers)).

Every state uses graduated driver licensing (GDL): a supervised learner's permit, then an intermediate license that limits night driving and teen passengers, then full privileges. The details vary by state, and in most states the rules apply only to applicants under 18 ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)).

## What the research says

The driving research is unusually strong. Much of the rest is observational, so read it as patterns, not proof.

**1. Risk spikes after the license, not during the permit.** Researchers put cameras and sensors in the cars of 90 teens with learner's permits. Their crash and near-crash rates during the supervised learner period were similar to adults'. In the first year of solo driving, the rates were about 6.5 times adult rates, highest in the first 3 months ([Gershon et al., 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30006026/)). In a follow-up of 82 of those Virginia teens, steadier practice during the permit was linked to fewer crashes later. So, surprisingly, were more mistakes during practice; the researchers suggest errors made with a parent beside them may be learning moments ([Ehsani et al., 2020](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32250391/)).
*Takeaway:* Don't relax your rules the day the license arrives. The first months are the danger zone.

**2. Passengers raise risk, and licensing limits help.** In 1990s US data, a 16-year-old driver's risk of dying per trip was 1.39 times higher with 1 passenger, 1.86 times with 2, and 2.82 times with 3 or more, compared with driving alone ([Chen et al., 2000](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10735394/)). A Cochrane review of 34 studies found graduated licensing cut crashes in every place studied, with a median 15.5% drop in overall crash rates for 16-year-olds in the first year ([Russell et al., 2011](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21975738/)). One caveat: a national analysis linked strong GDL laws to 26% fewer fatal crashes among 16-year-olds but 12% more among 18-year-olds, and the authors couldn't yet say why ([Masten et al., 2011](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21917580/)). Studies of older teens have disagreed, and IIHS says the most recent work finds GDL doesn't raise their crash rates ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)).
*Takeaway:* Follow your state's limits, and think about keeping similar limits for any new driver, even one licensed at 18.

**3. Phones and reaching are the riskiest distractions for new drivers.** A study instrumented the cars of 42 newly licensed 16- and 17-year-olds. Their odds of a crash or near-crash rose about 8-fold while dialing a phone, 7-fold while reaching for a phone, 8-fold while reaching for another object, and about 4-fold while texting or looking at something by the road ([Klauer et al., 2014](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24382065/)). In 2025, 46% of high school students who had driven in the past month said they'd texted or emailed while driving ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/digital-behaviors.html)).
*Takeaway:* The phone goes out of reach before the car moves.

**4. Driver's ed alone doesn't lower crash rates.** It surprises many parents. A Cochrane review of 3 randomized trials with nearly 18,000 students found school driver education got teens licensed sooner but showed no drop in crashes ([Roberts & Kwan, 2001](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11687049/)). Later US evaluations found little or no crash reduction, and skid-control and advanced-skills courses seem to raise crash risk in young men, possibly through overconfidence ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)).
*Takeaway:* Driver's ed teaches the rules. Supervised practice and your limits do the protecting.

**5. Teens can reason like adults, but peers change the math.** Teens reach adult levels of reasoning before they reach adult emotional and social maturity ([Steinberg et al., 2009](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19824745/)). In a lab study of 306 people, those randomly assigned to work alongside 2 same-age peers took more risks than those working alone, and the effect was stronger for 13- to 16-year-olds and 18- to 22-year-olds than for adults ([Gardner & Steinberg, 2005](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16060809/)). The popular "dual systems" model holds that reward sensitivity peaks in the late teens while self-control keeps improving gradually into the early 20s. A review by its own developers found the evidence broadly supports it but calls it "an oversimplification" ([Shulman et al., 2016](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26774291/)). There's no single age when the brain flips to "adult."
*Takeaway:* Rules for situations with friends, like passengers and parties, matter more than lectures about judgment.

**6. What you know depends mostly on what your teen tells you.** In a study of 703 Swedish 14-year-olds, parents' knowledge of their teen's life came mainly from the teen's own disclosure, not from tracking, and disclosure was most closely tied to staying out of trouble ([Stattin & Kerr, 2000](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11016567/)). In a US survey of 5,665 high schoolers, teens who described their parents as both supportive and firm reported half the crash risk, were 71% less likely to drive drunk, and wore seat belts nearly twice as often as teens with uninvolved parents ([Ginsburg et al., 2009](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19810185/)). In a national study that followed 14,800 teens into adulthood, those with strong family and school connections had 48% to 66% lower odds of later health risks such as drug misuse and violence ([Steiner et al., 2019](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31235609/)). These studies show links, not proof.
*Takeaway:* Warmth and clear rules work together. Being someone your teen can tell things to is the real monitoring.

**7. Up to about 20 hours of work a week looks harmless.** Reanalyzing data on 1,792 10th and 11th graders, and matching working teens with similar teens who didn't work, researchers found that those who started working more than 20 hours a week had drops in school engagement and rises in substance use and delinquency. Working 20 hours or less had negligible effects, good or bad ([Monahan et al., 2011](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21291431/)).
*Takeaway:* A school-year job is fine. Watch the hours.

**8. Letting teens drink at home doesn't teach safe drinking.** An Australian study followed 1,927 teens for 6 years, starting in 7th grade. Teens whose alcohol came only from their parents had about 2.5 times the odds of later binge drinking, alcohol-related harm, and alcohol use disorder symptoms, compared with teens given no alcohol ([Mattick et al., 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29396259/)). In a 1992 survey of 27,616 US adults who drank, more than 40% of those who started at 14 or younger developed alcohol dependence, versus about 10% of those who started at 20 or older; that's a link, not proof of cause ([Grant & Dawson, 1997](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9494942/)).
*Takeaway:* "Not until 21" is a clear message, and the research backs it.

## Parenting techniques

### Coach the new driver

- **Practice in every condition.** CDC advises as many hours of supervised practice as possible over at least 6 months ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)). Variety matters more than the hour count: night, rain, highways, merging, busy parking lots ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)).
- **Keep limits on after the license.** For at least the first 6 months, CDC suggests no teen or young adult passengers (or at most one) and being off the road by 9 or 10 p.m. ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)). IIHS's recommended best practices go further: no teen passengers and a night limit starting at 8 p.m. ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)). Your state's rules are the minimum.
- **Put it in writing.** CDC's free Parent-Teen Driving Agreement lists the rules and the consequences; keep it on the fridge and update it as privileges grow ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/driving-agreement.html)).
- **Pick the safest car you can.** IIHS advises avoiding high-horsepower models, very small cars, and large SUVs and pickups; choosing electronic stability control (standard since the 2012 model year); and getting the best crash-test ratings you can afford ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)).
- **Drive the way you want them to.** CDC asks parents to model good behavior, including never driving after drinking ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)).

Passenger rules protect your teen as a rider, too. More than half of 8- to 17-year-olds who die in crashes are passengers of drivers younger than 20 ([Alderman & Johnston, 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30249622/)).

*Script:* "The license is a big deal, and I trust you. For the first six months the deal is home by 9 and no friends in the car. If it goes well, we'll loosen it together."

### Be warm and firm at once

Teens who see their parents as both supportive and rule-setting report safer driving than teens with uninvolved parents ([Ginsburg et al., 2009](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19810185/)). Since most of what you know comes from what your teen chooses to share ([Stattin & Kerr, 2000](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11016567/)), how you react when they do tell you matters. CDC notes that frequent conversations build the trust that makes honest ones easier ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/mental-health.html)).

- Set a few clear, non-negotiable rules (seat belts, no impaired driving, phone away), and explain why.
- Negotiate the rest: curfews, chores, spending.
- When your teen tells you something hard, thank them first and save the consequences for later.

*Script:* "Thank you for telling me. I'm not thrilled, but I'm really glad you came to me. Let's figure out what happens next."

### Talk about substances without a lecture

Start with the truth that most teens don't use. In 2025, 82% of 10th graders and 66% of 12th graders hadn't used alcohol, cannabis, or nicotine in the past month. Past-year use among 10th graders was 24% for alcohol, 16% for cannabis, and 14% for nicotine vaping ([NIDA](https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2025/12/reported-use-of-most-drugs-remains-low-among-us-teens)).

Then share the specific risks. About 3 in 10 people who use cannabis have cannabis use disorder, with higher risk for those who start young, and cannabis use is linked to psychosis and schizophrenia, more strongly with earlier and more frequent use ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cannabis/health-effects/cannabis-and-teens.html)). Pills that don't come from a pharmacy can be counterfeits laced with fentanyl. US teen overdose deaths nearly doubled from 2019 to 2020 even as teen drug use held steady or fell, and fentanyl was involved in 77% of teen overdose deaths in 2021 ([Friedman et al., 2022](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35412573/)).

*Script:* "I'm not trying to catch you. I want you to know one thing: any pill that didn't come from a pharmacy can have fentanyl in it. If you or a friend are ever in trouble, call me or 911. You won't be in trouble for getting help."

### Ask directly about mood

Signs of depression include feeling sad, anxious, empty, or irritable; losing interest in things your teen used to enjoy; pulling away from friends and family; dropping grades; and changes in eating or sleeping. If those last most of the time for a few weeks or longer, it's time to get help ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression)).

If you're worried, ask about suicide in plain words. A review of the research found no study showing that asking about suicide increases suicidal thoughts, and some evidence it may reduce them ([Dazzi et al., 2014](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24998511/)). The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends depression screening for all teens 12 to 18 ([USPSTF, 2022](https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/screening-depression-suicide-risk-children-adolescents)), and the AAP adds yearly suicide risk screening at checkups ([AAP, 2025](https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/periodicity_schedule.pdf)).

*Script:* "You've seemed really down lately. Sometimes when people feel this way, they think about hurting themselves or ending their life. Have you had thoughts like that?"

If the answer is yes, stay calm, stay with them, and call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org ([988 Lifeline](https://988lifeline.org/)). More crisis lines are in [Call or text 988 if your teen](#call-or-text-988-if-your-teen).

### Protect sleep and set phone boundaries

CDC suggests regular wake-up and bed times, including on weekends; putting devices away at least an hour before bed; and keeping phones out of the bedroom overnight ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/sleep.html)). The AAP's 2026 guidance says effects of digital media on teens vary and more studies are needed, but warns that design features built for compulsive use can cost teens sleep, exercise, and time with family and friends ([Munzer, AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/helping-kids-thrive-in-a-digital-world-AAP-policy-explained.aspx)).

Sleep and driving connect. Teens are most tired early in the morning and late at night, so know your teen's schedule, including late work shifts, and make sure they're rested before they drive ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)).

### Talk about relationships and consent

The AAP describes consent as saying yes (not just not saying no), without pressure, while thinking clearly, each time, and for each thing you do. Consent can't be given under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Ages of legal consent vary by state ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/dating-sex/Pages/Helping-Teens-Resist-Sexual-Pressure.aspx)).

Dating violence is common enough to name. In 2021, about 1 in 12 high school students who dated experienced physical dating violence and about 1 in 10 experienced sexual dating violence in the past year ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/about-teen-dating-violence.html)). Warning signs in a partner include jealousy, put-downs, isolating your teen from friends and family, constant texting, and demanding passwords. Healthy relationships look like mutual respect, outside friends and interests, and disagreements settled peacefully ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/dating-sex/Pages/Dating-Violence-Tips-for-Parents.aspx)). The love is respect helpline is 866-331-9474, or text LOVEIS to 22522 ([love is respect](https://www.loveisrespect.org/)).

*Script:* "Would your partner be okay if you changed your mind about something? That's a good test of whether a relationship is healthy."

### Hand over the health care keys

Expect your pediatrician to spend part of each visit alone with your teen, who may have questions they won't raise with you in the room. State confidentiality laws vary, but pediatricians protect teens' privacy except when a teen is being hurt or might hurt themselves or others ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/One-on-One-Time-with-the-Pediatrician.aspx)). At 18, your teen decides who can join their visits, see their records, sign forms, and call in refills, so the practice starts now ([Got Transition](https://www.gottransition.org/parents-caregivers/frequently-asked-questions.cfm)).

## What to teach

At 16, the goal shifts from doing tasks to running whole parts of life: a shift at work, a paycheck, a dinner, a calendar.

### Family jobs still count

Chores keep mattering in the teen years. They build life skills and a sense of shared teamwork, and the AAP is blunt that a sports schedule or a part-time job is no reason to stop helping at home ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx)). Its examples for teens include vacuuming shared spaces, cleaning the kitchen after meals, yard work, pet care, grocery shopping once they drive, and helping with younger siblings ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx)).

Keep two categories separate:

- **Family jobs** are expected and unpaid. Everyone who lives in the house helps run it. At 16, give your teen a whole zone, like the kitchen on weeknights or the yard, rather than a list of small tasks.
- **Extra paid jobs** are optional work beyond the basics, like detailing the car or painting a fence, priced the way a neighbor would pay.

Be honest with yourself that the research here is thin. There are few rigorous studies of paying kids for chores, and the ones on allowances are mostly surveys. In one Dutch study of adults, those whose parents combined pocket money, oversight of how it was spent, and advice about saving were more likely to save as adults ([Bucciol & Veronesi, 2014](https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joepsy/v45y2014icp1-17.html)). For practical systems, see [chores by age and what to pay](https://chorevia.com/blog/chores-by-age-what-to-pay), [how to stop nagging about chores](https://chorevia.com/blog/stop-nagging-kids-about-chores), and [reward systems that avoid bribery](https://chorevia.com/blog/chore-reward-system-without-bribery).

### Cooking, laundry, and other adult skills

Aim for your teen to leave home able to cook several real meals. In Project EAT, young adults who rated their cooking skills as very adequate at 18 to 23 cooked more meals with vegetables and ate less fast food 10 years later ([Utter et al., 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29525525/)). As the AAP puts it, a teen who can run a smartphone can figure out a washing machine, an oven, and a dishwasher ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx)). Add scheduling their own appointments, knowing their medicines and allergies, and carrying their own insurance card ([Got Transition](https://www.gottransition.org/parents-caregivers/frequently-asked-questions.cfm)).

### Work: the rules, safety, and balance

Under federal law, 16- and 17-year-olds can work unlimited hours in any job not declared hazardous. Many states do restrict hours, and when federal and state rules both apply, the stricter one wins ([DOL](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture)). Seventeen hazardous job categories are fully or partly off-limits under 18, including driving on the job (with narrow daytime exceptions at 17), forklifts, power-driven meat-processing and bakery machines, balers and compactors, roofing, and trenching ([DOL](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture)).

Young workers have high rates of job injuries. They have the right to a safe workplace and the right to refuse a task that is unsafe ([NIOSH](https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/young-workers/about/index.html)). Keep the school-year schedule around 20 hours or less ([Monahan et al., 2011](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21291431/)), and protect sleep on school nights.

### Paychecks and taxes

The first pay stub is a lesson in itself. Employers withhold Social Security tax (6.2%) and Medicare tax (1.45%) from wages ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc751)). Federal income tax withholding depends on the W-4 your teen fills out. A teen can claim exemption from income tax withholding only if they owed no federal income tax last year and expect to owe none this year, and the claim must be renewed each year ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf)). Even if your teen doesn't have to file a return, it's worth filing when income tax was withheld, because that's how they can get money back ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p501)).

Babysitting, lawn mowing, and other self-employment count too. Self-employment tax usually applies once net earnings reach $400 in a year ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc554)), so help your teen keep a simple log of who paid, when, and how much.

### Banking and budgeting

The CFPB lists independent decision-making as the teen-years money milestone: setting a goal, finding missing facts, and following through ([CFPB](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/money-as-you-grow/teen-young-adult/)). A checking account at an FDIC-insured bank is a safe place to practice; deposits are insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category ([FDIC](https://www.fdic.gov/resources/deposit-insurance/understanding-deposit-insurance)).

Teaching works. A meta-analysis of 76 randomized trials with more than 160,000 people found financial education improves knowledge and later money behavior, with effects similar in size to education in other subjects ([Kaiser et al., 2022](https://www.nber.org/papers/w27057)). After Georgia, Idaho, and Texas required personal finance in high school, young adults there had better credit scores and fewer late payments than peers elsewhere ([Brown et al., 2014](https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/feds/state-mandated-financial-education-and-the-credit-behavior-of-young-adults.htm)). Parents count most: in a survey of 2,098 first-year college students, what they'd learned from parents mattered more than work experience and high school financial education combined ([Shim et al., 2010](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20938727/)). For a step-by-step plan, see [teaching kids financial skills](https://chorevia.com/blog/teach-kids-financial-skills) and [teaching the cost of living](https://chorevia.com/blog/teach-kids-cost-of-living).

### Credit without a card

Your teen doesn't need a credit card yet, and mostly can't get one. Under federal law, card issuers generally can't give a card to anyone under 21 unless they show an independent ability to pay or an adult over 21 cosigns ([CFPB](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/can-a-card-issuer-consider-my-age-when-deciding-whether-to-issue-a-credit-card-to-me-en-20/)). Teach the ideas now: interest means you pay back more than you borrowed ([CFPB](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/money-as-you-grow/teen-young-adult/)), and a credit report follows you.

Some families add a teen as an authorized user on a parent's card. The teen can use the card without being legally liable for the charges, and the account's entire history, good or bad, can show up on the teen's credit record ([CFPB](https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/BecomingCreditVisible_Data_Point_Final.pdf)). Protect your teen's identity, too: a child under 18 generally won't have a credit report, so one can signal fraud, and 16- and 17-year-olds can request or lift a credit freeze themselves ([FTC](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-protect-your-child-identity-theft)).

### A custodial Roth IRA, explained

A first paycheck opens a door most teens never hear about. Anyone with taxable compensation can contribute to a Roth IRA at any age, within IRS income limits ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/traditional-and-roth-iras)). For a minor, a designated adult opens a custodial IRA and controls it until the age of majority, which varies by state ([FINRA](https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/investing-children)). The facts:

- **What counts:** wages, tips, and net self-employment earnings count as compensation ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590a)). An allowance doesn't.
- **How much:** for 2026, total IRA contributions can't exceed $7,500 or the teen's taxable compensation for the year, whichever is less ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-ira-contribution-limits)). A parent can put in money on the teen's behalf, but only up to the teen's earnings, and that uses up the limit ([Fidelity](https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/retirement/turbocharge-childs-retirement)).
- **Getting it out:** withdrawals of what was contributed aren't taxed ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590b)). Earnings are tax-free only for qualified distributions, which generally means at least 5 years after the first contribution and age 59½, or up to $10,000 lifetime toward a first home. Other early withdrawals of earnings can be taxed and face a 10% additional tax, with exceptions such as higher education costs ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590b)).

The case for it is time: decades of potential tax-free growth ([FINRA](https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/investing-children)). The caveats are real, too. Investments can lose value, the money is meant to stay put, and this is general education, not advice for your family's situation. The newer Trump Account, a traditional IRA for children under 18, needs no earned income, but withdrawals generally wait until 18 and earnings are taxed ([FINRA](https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/investing-children)).

### College, career, and other paths

No single path is right for every teen. Four-year college, community college, career and technical programs, apprenticeships, the military, and work all lead somewhere. Education still pays on average: in 2025, full-time workers 25 and older had median weekly earnings of $966 with a high school diploma, $1,135 with an associate degree, and $1,578 with a bachelor's degree, with lower unemployment at each step ([BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/unemployment-earnings-education.htm)). Career-focused high school can pay off, too: in Connecticut, boys admitted to technical high schools were 10 percentage points more likely to graduate and later earned 32% more, though girls saw no effect ([Brunner et al., 2023](https://ideas.repec.org/a/tpr/restat/v105y2023i4p867-882.html)).

At 16, the useful work is exploring: talk to people in jobs that interest your teen, try a summer job or class, and keep options open. Applications, testing, and financial aid are covered in the [age-17 guide](https://chorevia.com/learn/17-years).

## Activities to try

Pick a few. Most build skills for the next two years, and none has to happen all at once.

### Night-and-rain practice drives

- **Time:** 30 to 60 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week during the permit
- **Builds:** Hazard spotting, experience in hard conditions
- **Evidence:** Moderate. CDC recommends as many supervised hours as possible over at least 6 months ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)), IIHS says the quality and variety of practice matter more than quantity ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)), and in one instrumented-car study, steadier practice was linked to fewer crashes in the first year of solo driving ([Ehsani et al., 2020](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32250391/)).

1. List conditions to cover: night, rain, highway merges, rural roads, city traffic, parking lots.
2. Add one new condition each week and drive it together.
3. Afterward, ask what your teen noticed before you say what you noticed.

**Make it work:** Stay calm. Mistakes made with you in the passenger seat are part of learning.

### Write the driving agreement together

- **Time:** 30 minutes, then a check-in every few months
- **Builds:** Clear expectations, a plan for earning more freedom
- **Evidence:** Moderate. CDC recommends a written parent-teen agreement ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/driving-agreement.html)). In a randomized trial of 3,743 Connecticut families, an agreement plus mailed materials led to more limits, less risky driving, and fewer violations, but not fewer crashes ([Simons-Morton et al., 2006](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16620739/)).

1. Download CDC's Parent-Teen Driving Agreement and fill it out together.
2. Agree on passengers, curfew, phone rules, and the consequence for each broken rule.
3. Both sign it and post it on the fridge.
4. Loosen one limit at a time as your teen shows they can handle it.

### Phone-down launch routine

- **Time:** 30 seconds, every trip
- **Builds:** An automatic no-distraction habit
- **Evidence:** Moderate. Newly licensed drivers' odds of a crash or near-crash rose about 8-fold while dialing and 7-fold while reaching for a phone ([Klauer et al., 2014](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24382065/)); CDC counts distraction among the top dangers for teen drivers ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)).

1. Before shifting out of park, set the route and music.
2. Turn on the phone's driving or do-not-disturb mode and put it in a bag or the back seat.
3. Passengers handle navigation and messages.
4. Parents follow the same routine.

### Pay stub walk-through

- **Time:** 20 minutes, on the first payday
- **Builds:** Understanding of gross pay, taxes, and take-home pay
- **Evidence:** Emerging. Financial education improves knowledge and behavior on average across 76 randomized trials ([Kaiser et al., 2022](https://www.nber.org/papers/w27057)); reading a pay stub together hasn't been studied on its own.

1. Lay the first pay stub on the table.
2. Find gross pay, each tax line, and net pay.
3. Check that Social Security is 6.2% and Medicare 1.45% of gross ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc751)).
4. Ask what surprised them.

### A first real budget

- **Time:** 30 minutes to set up, 10 minutes a month after
- **Builds:** Planning, trade-offs, independent decisions
- **Evidence:** Emerging. The CFPB names independent decision-making as the teen money milestone ([CFPB](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/money-as-you-grow/teen-young-adult/)); in a survey of 2,098 college freshmen, lessons from parents mattered more than work and school financial education combined ([Shim et al., 2010](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20938727/)), but the survey can't prove cause.

1. List what your teen pays for now: gas, phone, clothes, food out.
2. Track one month of spending.
3. Decide the savings amount first, then plan the rest.
4. Review together at month's end, without judgment.

### Open a bank account together

- **Time:** About an hour to open, then a short monthly look
- **Builds:** Banking basics, saving habit
- **Evidence:** Emerging. In a Dutch study, adults whose parents combined pocket money, oversight, and saving advice were more likely to save ([Bucciol & Veronesi, 2014](https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joepsy/v45y2014icp1-17.html)); deposits at FDIC-insured banks are insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category ([FDIC](https://www.fdic.gov/resources/deposit-insurance/understanding-deposit-insurance)).

1. Compare a few banks or credit unions for fees, minimum balances, and overdraft rules.
2. Open checking plus savings, and split each paycheck between them.
3. Read the statement together for the first few months, then step back.

### Roth IRA savings match

- **Time:** An hour to set up, once a year after
- **Builds:** Long-term saving, compounding, tax basics
- **Evidence:** Emerging. The rules are clear ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-ira-contribution-limits); [FINRA](https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/investing-children)), but whether a parent match changes teens' later saving hasn't been studied.

1. Add up your teen's earned income for the year from pay stubs and their self-employment log.
2. Agree on how much they'll save and whether you'll add a match, keeping the total at or below their earnings.
3. Open a custodial Roth IRA together and read the fees and investment choices side by side.

**Make it work:** Explain that contributions can come back out tax-free, but this is money for decades from now.

### Teen-run family dinner

- **Time:** About 2 hours, once a week
- **Builds:** Cooking, budgeting, planning, contribution
- **Evidence:** Emerging. In Project EAT, young adults with very adequate cooking skills at 18 to 23 cooked more vegetable-rich meals and ate less fast food 10 years later ([Utter et al., 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29525525/)); it's one observational study.

1. Your teen picks the menu and sets a grocery budget.
2. They write the list and do the shopping.
3. They cook; you help only if asked.
4. Everyone else cleans up.

### Laundry, start to finish

- **Time:** About 2 hours a week, mostly waiting
- **Builds:** Independence, reading labels, planning ahead
- **Evidence:** Emerging. The AAP lists running household appliances among skills teens can handle ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx)); laundry itself hasn't been studied.

1. Show your teen how to sort, read care labels, and choose settings once.
2. From then on, they wash, dry, fold, and put away their own clothes each week.
3. Let a forgotten load be their problem to solve.

### Book your own appointment

- **Time:** 15 minutes per appointment
- **Builds:** Health care independence, self-advocacy
- **Evidence:** Moderate. A joint clinical report from the AAP, family physicians, and internists recommends preparing teens to manage their own care ([White & Cooley, 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30348754/)); at 18, teens control who sees their records and who can join their visits ([Got Transition](https://www.gottransition.org/parents-caregivers/frequently-asked-questions.cfm)).

1. Your teen calls to book the next checkup or dental visit.
2. They fill in the forms and list their medicines and allergies.
3. They spend part of the visit alone with the clinician.

### Phones sleep outside the bedroom

- **Time:** Every night
- **Builds:** Sleep, focus, a family norm
- **Evidence:** Moderate. CDC suggests devices away at least an hour before bed and stored outside the bedroom overnight ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/sleep.html)), and teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep ([Paruthi et al., 2016](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27250809/)).

1. Pick one charging spot outside the bedrooms.
2. Everyone, parents included, plugs in at a set time.
3. Keep wake-up times steady, weekends too.

### The no-questions ride home

- **Time:** 10 minutes to set up
- **Builds:** A safe exit from risky situations
- **Evidence:** Emerging. In 2019, 16.7% of high school students rode with a driver who had been drinking in the past month ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/risk-factors/index.html)); exit plans like this haven't been studied.

1. Agree on a code word or text that means "come get me."
2. You come, any time, with no lecture that night.
3. Talk it through calmly the next day.

### Job shadow or informational interview

- **Time:** 1 to 3 hours, a few times a year
- **Builds:** Career awareness, confidence talking to adults
- **Evidence:** Emerging. Earnings differ a lot by education and training ([BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/unemployment-earnings-education.htm)), but job shadowing itself hasn't been well studied.

1. List three jobs your teen is curious about.
2. Find someone in each through family, school, or neighbors.
3. Your teen prepares five questions, including what training the job takes.
4. Afterward, they write down what they liked and didn't.

## Common questions

### At what age can my teen get a driver's license?

It depends on your state, because every state sets its own ages and rules within a graduated licensing system: a learner's permit, then an intermediate license with limits, then full privileges ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)). IIHS recommends a minimum permit age of 16 and a minimum intermediate license age of 17, and in most states the graduated rules apply only to applicants under 18 ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)). Check your state's driver licensing agency for current requirements.

### How many hours should my teen practice driving before getting a license?

Aim for as many supervised hours as you can over at least 6 months; CDC recommends that, and IIHS recommends at least 70 hours ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html); [IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)). Your state's minimum may be lower. Variety matters as much as hours: practice at night, in rain, and on highways ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)).

### How many friends can my 16-year-old drive with?

Ideally none for the first 6 months: CDC recommends no teen or young adult passengers for new drivers, or at most one if that isn't possible ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)). Your state may set its own limit; follow whichever is stricter. Each added passenger raised a 16-year-old driver's risk of dying in older national data ([Chen et al., 2000](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10735394/)), and in 2024, 58% of teen passenger deaths happened in cars driven by another teen ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/fatality-statistics/detail/teenagers)).

### How many hours can a 16-year-old work?

Federal law sets no hour limits for 16- and 17-year-olds, but many states do, and when both apply, the stricter rule wins ([DOL](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture)). Teens under 18 also can't do jobs on the federal hazardous list, such as roofing or running a forklift ([DOL](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture)). During the school year, research suggests keeping it to about 20 hours a week or less ([Monahan et al., 2011](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21291431/)).

### Does my teen have to pay taxes on a part-time job?

Social Security and Medicare taxes come out of their wages, and federal income tax may or may not, depending on their income and their W-4 ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc751); [IRS](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf)). They can claim exemption from income tax withholding only if they owed no federal income tax last year and expect to owe none this year ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf)). If income tax was withheld, filing a return can get it back even when filing isn't required ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p501)).

### Can a 16-year-old open a Roth IRA?

Yes, if they have earned income, an adult can open a custodial Roth IRA for them and manage it until the age of majority ([FINRA](https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/investing-children)). For 2026, contributions are capped at $7,500 or their taxable compensation, whichever is less ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-ira-contribution-limits)). Contributions can be withdrawn without tax; earnings generally can't come out tax-free until age 59½ ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590b)). See [A custodial Roth IRA, explained](#a-custodial-roth-ira-explained).

### Should my 16-year-old get a credit card?

Not yet, for most teens: under 21, a card issuer generally needs proof the young person can pay on their own or an adult over 21 to cosign ([CFPB](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/can-a-card-issuer-consider-my-age-when-deciding-whether-to-issue-a-credit-card-to-me-en-20/)). Some parents add a teen as an authorized user instead. The teen isn't legally liable for charges, but the account's history shows up on their credit record ([CFPB](https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/BecomingCreditVisible_Data_Point_Final.pdf)). A debit card tied to their own checking account teaches most of the same skills.

### How much sleep does a 16-year-old need?

A 16-year-old needs 8 to 10 hours of sleep in every 24 ([Paruthi et al., 2016](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27250809/)). Only about 1 in 4 high schoolers gets even 8 hours on school nights ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/sleep.html)). Keep wake times steady and phones out of the bedroom at night ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/sleep.html)).

### What vaccines does my 16-year-old need?

The AAP recommends a meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) booster at 16, a yearly flu shot, and catching up on any missed vaccines, such as HPV ([AAP, 2026](https://downloads.aap.org/HC/EN/adolescentvaccineschedule.pdf)). It recommends the MenB vaccine for teens with certain health conditions and for any 16- to 18-year-old who decides with their pediatrician to get it, and COVID vaccination for teens with risk factors (others may get it, too). Teens who start HPV at 15 or older need 3 doses ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Immunizations-for-Teenagers-and-Young-Adults.aspx)). US guidance has been changing. In January 2026, the CDC dropped flu and meningococcal vaccines, among others, from its routine schedule; the AAP still recommends them ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/what-is-the-difference-between-the-AAP-recommended-immunization-schedule-and-other-vaccine-schedules.aspx); [AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/AAPs-recommended-childhood-and-adolescent-immunization-schedule-for-2026.aspx)), In March 2026, a federal judge paused many of those federal changes in a lawsuit brought by medical groups including the AAP, and the government has appealed ([STAT, 2026](https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/29/hhs-appealing-acip-vaccine-policy-lawsuit-ruling/)), so official guidance is still in flux. Ask your pediatrician which schedule they follow.

### How can I tell if my teen is depressed or just moody?

Moodiness comes and goes; depression lasts, so sadness, irritability, or lost interest most of the time for a few weeks or longer is a reason to get help ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression)). Other signs include pulling away from friends and family, slipping grades, changes in eating or sleep, and feeling worthless or empty ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression)). Ask directly, including about suicide; asking doesn't plant the idea ([Dazzi et al., 2014](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24998511/)). Call your pediatrician, and call or text 988 in a crisis ([988 Lifeline](https://988lifeline.org/)).

### Should I let my teen drink at home so they learn to drink responsibly?

No, the research doesn't support it. In an Australian study of 1,927 teens, those given alcohol only by their parents had about 2.5 times the odds of later binge drinking and alcohol-related harm as teens given none ([Mattick et al., 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29396259/)). Starting to drink young is also linked to higher rates of alcohol dependence later ([Grant & Dawson, 1997](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9494942/)). Even small amounts of alcohol impair driving ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)).

### Is it normal for my 16-year-old to pull away from the family?

Yes, some distance is normal: teens this age often spend more time with friends, less with family, and argue more as they seek independence ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx)). Your connection still matters. Teens with strong family and school ties have lower odds of health risks as adults ([Steiner et al., 2019](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31235609/)). Pulling away from friends too, or losing interest in everything, can be a sign of depression and is worth a call to your pediatrician ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression)).

## Safety and when to get help

### Driving and riding

- **Seat belt, every trip, every seat.** Belts cut the risk of death or serious injury by about half ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html)). In 2020, 56% of teen drivers and passengers killed in crashes, among those whose belt use was known, weren't buckled ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/risk-factors/index.html)).
- **No impaired driving or riding.** In 2024, an estimated 20% of drivers ages 16 to 17 killed in crashes had a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or higher ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/fatality-statistics/detail/teenagers)). Cannabis also impairs driving skills ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cannabis/health-effects/cannabis-and-teens.html)). Make the [no-questions ride home](#the-no-questions-ride-home) a standing offer.
- **Speed and night.** Speeding is a factor in almost a third of teen drivers' fatal crashes, and 35% of teen driving deaths in 2024 happened between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. ([IIHS](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers)).

### Firearms, medicines, and alcohol at home

The AAP's advice: if possible, remove firearms from the home. Otherwise store them locked and unloaded, keep ammunition locked in a separate place, and don't share the key or combination with your teen. About 90% of suicide attempts with a firearm are fatal. Lock up medicines, and if anyone at home takes opioids, keep naloxone on hand ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Pages/prevent-youth-suicide-remove-or-lock-up-lethal-items-at-home.aspx)). In a case-control study, keeping guns locked, unloaded, and separate from locked ammunition was each linked to lower risk of youth suicide attempts and unintentional shootings ([Grossman et al., 2005](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15701912/)). Ask about guns in homes where your teen spends time ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Pages/prevent-youth-suicide-remove-or-lock-up-lethal-items-at-home.aspx)).

### Overdose and naloxone

The FDA approved naloxone nasal spray for over-the-counter sale in 2023 ([FDA](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-over-counter-naloxone-nasal-spray)). Signs of an overdose include being unconscious or impossible to wake, slow or shallow breathing or choking sounds, discolored lips or nails, and pinpoint pupils. Give naloxone if you have it, call 911, keep the person on their side, and stay until help arrives. Most states have laws that may protect the person who calls for help ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/stop-overdose/response/index.html)).

### Online safety and sextortion

In financially motivated sextortion, scammers posing as young people trick teens into sending explicit images, then demand money. Victims are typically boys 14 to 17. The FBI's advice if it happens: tell your teen they are not in trouble and not alone, block the account but don't delete the profile or messages, and report it at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI ([FBI](https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/miami/news/sextortion-a-growing-threat-targeting-minors)). NCMEC's free Take It Down service helps remove nude or sexual images taken before age 18 ([NCMEC](https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/)).

### Call 911 if your teen

- Is unconscious, can't be woken, or is breathing slowly or not at all, or you suspect an overdose ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/stop-overdose/response/index.html))
- Has attempted suicide or is in immediate danger of harming themselves or someone else ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know))
- After a head injury, has a seizure, a worsening headache, repeated vomiting, slurred speech, unusual confusion, one pupil larger than the other, or can't stay awake ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/heads-up/signs-symptoms/index.html))
- Is in immediate danger from a partner or anyone else ([love is respect](https://www.loveisrespect.org/))

For a possible poisoning, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 for free expert advice, 24/7 ([America's Poison Centers](https://poisoncenters.org/)).

### Call or text 988 if your teen

- Talks about suicide, wanting to die, or feeling hopeless
- Is in emotional crisis and you don't know what to do

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline answers calls and texts at 988 and chats at 988lifeline.org ([988 Lifeline](https://988lifeline.org/)). LGBTQ+ teens can also reach the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or by texting START to 678-678 ([Trevor Project](https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/)). For dating abuse, call 866-331-9474 or text LOVEIS to 22522 ([love is respect](https://www.loveisrespect.org/)).

### Call your pediatrician if your teen

- Seems sad, irritable, or uninterested most of the time for a few weeks or longer, or their grades, sleep, or eating change ([NIMH](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression))
- May be using alcohol, cannabis, vapes, or pills, or you're worried about it
- Has a partner who controls, isolates, or frightens them ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/dating-sex/Pages/Dating-Violence-Tips-for-Parents.aspx))
- Has had a head injury, even without danger signs; ask before they go back to sports
- Is behind on vaccines or hasn't had a checkup this year

### The 16-year checkup

The AAP recommends a checkup every year in the teen years. At 16, expect a physical exam; yearly depression and suicide risk screening; questions about alcohol, nicotine, and drug use; a hearing test once between 15 and 17; and an HIV test at least once between 15 and 21, plus other sexually transmitted infection testing based on risk. The schedule asks pediatricians to make every effort to keep these screenings confidential ([AAP, 2025](https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/periodicity_schedule.pdf)). Part of the visit will be your teen alone with the pediatrician ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/One-on-One-Time-with-the-Pediatrician.aspx)). For vaccines, see [What vaccines does my 16-year-old need?](#what-vaccines-does-my-16-year-old-need) above. Let your teen bring their own questions.

## Sources

- Allen B, Waterman H. "Stages of Adolescence." HealthyChildren.org, updated 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx
- Flais SV. "Household Chores for Teens." HealthyChildren.org, updated 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Household-Chores-for-Adolescents.aspx
- Kowal-Connelly S, Chung RJ. "One-on-One Time With the Pediatrician." HealthyChildren.org, updated 2024. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/One-on-One-Time-with-the-Pediatrician.aspx
- Voss R. "Helping Teens Make Choices About Sex: Parent Tips." HealthyChildren.org, updated 2025. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/dating-sex/Pages/Helping-Teens-Resist-Sexual-Pressure.aspx
- American Academy of Pediatrics. "Signs of Teen Dating Violence." HealthyChildren.org, updated 2016. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/dating-sex/Pages/Dating-Violence-Tips-for-Parents.aspx
- Hardie J. "Prevent Youth Suicide: Remove or Lock Up Lethal Items at Home." HealthyChildren.org, updated 2025. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Pages/prevent-youth-suicide-remove-or-lock-up-lethal-items-at-home.aspx
- Munzer T. "Helping Kids Thrive in a Digital World: AAP Policy Explained." HealthyChildren.org, updated 2026. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/helping-kids-thrive-in-a-digital-world-AAP-policy-explained.aspx
- Fenton R. "AAP-Recommended Vaccines for 'Tweens, Teens & Young Adults." HealthyChildren.org, updated 2026. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Immunizations-for-Teenagers-and-Young-Adults.aspx
- American Academy of Pediatrics. "2026 Recommended Immunization Schedule: Adolescents 7 Through 18 Years Old." 2026. https://downloads.aap.org/HC/EN/adolescentvaccineschedule.pdf
- American Academy of Pediatrics. "AAP Releases Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for 2026." HealthyChildren.org, 2026. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/AAPs-recommended-childhood-and-adolescent-immunization-schedule-for-2026.aspx
- O'Leary S. "What is the difference between the AAP immunization recommendations and other vaccine schedules?" HealthyChildren.org, updated 2026. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/what-is-the-difference-between-the-AAP-recommended-immunization-schedule-and-other-vaccine-schedules.aspx
- STAT. "HHS appeals ruling that stalled many of Kennedy's vaccine policy changes." 2026. https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/29/hhs-appealing-acip-vaccine-policy-lawsuit-ruling/
- American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures. "Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care" (Periodicity Schedule). 2025. https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/periodicity_schedule.pdf
- Adolescent Sleep Working Group, AAP Committee on Adolescence, AAP Council on School Health. "School start times for adolescents." *Pediatrics*, 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25156998/
- Alderman EM, Johnston BD; AAP Committee on Adolescence; Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention. "The Teen Driver." *Pediatrics*, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30249622/
- White PH, Cooley WC; Transitions Clinical Report Authoring Group; AAP, AAFP, ACP. "Supporting the Health Care Transition From Adolescence to Adulthood in the Medical Home." *Pediatrics*, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30348754/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Risk Factors for Teen Drivers." 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/risk-factors/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Eight Danger Zones." Parents Are the Key, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/danger-zones.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Parent-Teen Driving Agreement." Parents Are the Key, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/driving-agreement.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Mental Health and Suicide Risks." Youth Health in Focus, YRBSS, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/mental-health.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Sleep." Youth Health in Focus, YRBSS, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/sleep.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Digital Behaviors." Youth Health in Focus, YRBSS, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/digital-behaviors.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "About Teen Dating Violence." 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/about-teen-dating-violence.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Cannabis and Teens." 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/cannabis/health-effects/cannabis-and-teens.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "What to Do If You Think Someone Is Overdosing." 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/stop-overdose/response/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Child Activity: An Overview." Physical Activity Basics, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/children.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Signs and Symptoms of Concussion." HEADS UP, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/heads-up/signs-symptoms/index.html
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. "Young Worker Safety and Health." 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/young-workers/about/index.html
- National Institute of Mental Health. "The Teen Brain: 7 Things to Know." Revised 2023. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know
- National Institute of Mental Health. "Teen Depression: More Than Just Moodiness." Accessed 2026. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teen-depression
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Reported use of most drugs remains low among U.S. teens." 2025. https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2025/12/reported-use-of-most-drugs-remains-low-among-us-teens
- US Food and Drug Administration. "FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Naloxone Nasal Spray." 2023. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-over-counter-naloxone-nasal-spray
- US Preventive Services Task Force. "Depression and Suicide Risk in Children and Adolescents: Screening." 2022. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/screening-depression-suicide-risk-children-adolescents
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Fatality Facts 2024: Teenagers." 2026. https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/fatality-statistics/detail/teenagers
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Teenagers." Research areas, accessed 2026. https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers
- US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. "Fact Sheet #43: Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for Nonagricultural Occupations." Revised 2016. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "College Enrollment and Work Activity of Recent High School and College Graduates." 2025. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Education pays." Employment Projections, 2026. https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/unemployment-earnings-education.htm
- Internal Revenue Service. "Retirement Topics: IRA Contribution Limits." 2026. https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/retirement-topics-ira-contribution-limits
- Internal Revenue Service. "Traditional and Roth IRAs." Accessed 2026. https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/traditional-and-roth-iras
- Internal Revenue Service. "Publication 590-A: Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)." 2025. https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590a
- Internal Revenue Service. "Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)." 2025. https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590b
- Internal Revenue Service. "Publication 501: Dependents, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information." 2025. https://www.irs.gov/publications/p501
- Internal Revenue Service. "Topic No. 751, Social Security and Medicare Withholding Rates." 2026. https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc751
- Internal Revenue Service. "Topic No. 554, Self-Employment Tax." 2026. https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc554
- Internal Revenue Service. "Form W-4: Employee's Withholding Certificate." 2026. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Can a credit card company consider my age when deciding to lend me a card?" 2023. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/can-a-card-issuer-consider-my-age-when-deciding-whether-to-issue-a-credit-card-to-me-en-20/
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Money as You Grow: Teens and Young Adults." 2026. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/money-as-you-grow/teen-young-adult/
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Data Point: Becoming Credit Visible." 2017. https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/BecomingCreditVisible_Data_Point_Final.pdf
- Federal Trade Commission. "How To Protect Your Child From Identity Theft." 2024. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-protect-your-child-identity-theft
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. "Understanding Deposit Insurance." Accessed 2026. https://www.fdic.gov/resources/deposit-insurance/understanding-deposit-insurance
- FINRA. "Ways to Invest for Children." Accessed 2026. https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/investing-children
- Fidelity Investments. "Turbocharge your child's retirement with a Roth IRA for Kids." Accessed 2026. https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/retirement/turbocharge-childs-retirement
- College Board. "PSAT/NMSQT: See How Ready They Are." 2026. https://k12.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/psat-nmsqt-see-how-ready-they-are.pdf
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Accessed 2026. https://988lifeline.org/
- The Trevor Project. "Get Help." Accessed 2026. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/
- love is respect. National teen dating abuse helpline. Accessed 2026. https://www.loveisrespect.org/
- Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office. "Sextortion: A Growing Threat Targeting Minors." 2024. https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/miami/news/sextortion-a-growing-threat-targeting-minors
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. "Take It Down." Accessed 2026. https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/
- America's Poison Centers. "Poison Help line." Accessed 2026. https://poisoncenters.org/
- Got Transition. "Frequently Asked Questions: Parents and Caregivers." Accessed 2026. https://www.gottransition.org/parents-caregivers/frequently-asked-questions.cfm
- Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D'Ambrosio C, et al. "Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine." *Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine*, 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27250809/
- Dunster GP, de la Iglesia L, Ben-Hamo M, et al. "Sleepmore in Seattle: Later school start times are associated with more sleep and better performance in high school students." *Science Advances*, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30547089/
- Gershon P, Ehsani JP, Zhu C, et al. "Crash Risk and Risky Driving Behavior Among Adolescents During Learner and Independent Driving Periods." *Journal of Adolescent Health*, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30006026/
- Ehsani JP, Gershon P, Grant BJB, et al. "Learner Driver Experience and Teenagers' Crash Risk During the First Year of Independent Driving." *JAMA Pediatrics*, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32250391/
- Chen LH, Baker SP, Braver ER, Li G. "Carrying passengers as a risk factor for crashes fatal to 16- and 17-year-old drivers." *JAMA*, 2000. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10735394/
- Russell KF, Vandermeer B, Hartling L. "Graduated driver licensing for reducing motor vehicle crashes among young drivers." *Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews*, 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21975738/
- Masten SV, Foss RD, Marshall SW. "Graduated driver licensing and fatal crashes involving 16- to 19-year-old drivers." *JAMA*, 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21917580/
- Klauer SG, Guo F, Simons-Morton BG, et al. "Distracted driving and risk of road crashes among novice and experienced drivers." *New England Journal of Medicine*, 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24382065/
- Roberts I, Kwan I; Cochrane Injuries Group Driver Education Reviewers. "School based driver education for the prevention of traffic crashes." *Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews*, 2001. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11687049/
- Simons-Morton BG, Hartos JL, Leaf WA, Preusser DF. "The effect on teen driving outcomes of the Checkpoints Program in a state-wide trial." *Accident Analysis & Prevention*, 2006. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16620739/
- Ginsburg KR, Durbin DR, García-España JF, et al. "Associations between parenting styles and teen driving, safety-related behaviors and attitudes." *Pediatrics*, 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19810185/
- Steinberg L, Cauffman E, Woolard J, et al. "Are adolescents less mature than adults? Minors' access to abortion, the juvenile death penalty, and the alleged APA 'flip-flop.'" *American Psychologist*, 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19824745/
- Gardner M, Steinberg L. "Peer influence on risk taking, risk preference, and risky decision making in adolescence and adulthood: an experimental study." *Developmental Psychology*, 2005. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16060809/
- Shulman EP, Smith AR, Silva K, et al. "The dual systems model: Review, reappraisal, and reaffirmation." *Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience*, 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26774291/
- Stattin H, Kerr M. "Parental monitoring: a reinterpretation." *Child Development*, 2000. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11016567/
- Steiner RJ, Sheremenko G, Lesesne C, et al. "Adolescent Connectedness and Adult Health Outcomes." *Pediatrics*, 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31235609/
- Monahan KC, Lee JM, Steinberg L. "Revisiting the impact of part-time work on adolescent adjustment: distinguishing between selection and socialization using propensity score matching." *Child Development*, 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21291431/
- Mattick RP, Clare PJ, Aiken A, et al. "Association of parental supply of alcohol with adolescent drinking, alcohol-related harms, and alcohol use disorder symptoms: a prospective cohort study." *Lancet Public Health*, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29396259/
- Grant BF, Dawson DA. "Age at onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence." *Journal of Substance Abuse*, 1997. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9494942/
- Friedman J, Godvin M, Shover CL, et al. "Trends in Drug Overdose Deaths Among US Adolescents, January 2010 to June 2021." *JAMA*, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35412573/
- Dazzi T, Gribble R, Wessely S, Fear NT. "Does asking about suicide and related behaviours induce suicidal ideation? What is the evidence?" *Psychological Medicine*, 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24998511/
- Grossman DC, Mueller BA, Riedy C, et al. "Gun storage practices and risk of youth suicide and unintentional firearm injuries." *JAMA*, 2005. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15701912/
- Utter J, Larson N, Laska MN, et al. "Self-Perceived Cooking Skills in Emerging Adulthood Predict Better Dietary Behaviors and Intake 10 Years Later: A Longitudinal Study." *Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior*, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29525525/
- Shim S, Barber BL, Card NA, et al. "Financial socialization of first-year college students: the roles of parents, work, and education." *Journal of Youth and Adolescence*, 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20938727/
- Kaiser T, Lusardi A, Menkhoff L, Urban CJ. "Financial Education Affects Financial Knowledge and Downstream Behaviors." *Journal of Financial Economics*, 2022 (NBER Working Paper 27057). https://www.nber.org/papers/w27057
- Brown A, Collins JM, Schmeiser M, Urban C. "State Mandated Financial Education and the Credit Behavior of Young Adults." Federal Reserve Board, Finance and Economics Discussion Series, 2014. https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/feds/state-mandated-financial-education-and-the-credit-behavior-of-young-adults.htm
- Bucciol A, Veronesi M. "Teaching children to save: What is the best strategy for lifetime savings?" *Journal of Economic Psychology*, 2014. https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joepsy/v45y2014icp1-17.html
- Brunner EJ, Dougherty SM, Ross SL. "The Effects of Career and Technical Education: Evidence from the Connecticut Technical High School System." *Review of Economics and Statistics*, 2023. https://ideas.repec.org/a/tpr/restat/v105y2023i4p867-882.html