Adolescence: when the most complicated phase of life begins and ends
During adolescence, the first important physical and psychological changes occur, which is why the age of development is usually attributed to this phase of life. The adolescent is in constant search of his own identity and affirmation in the world of adults, with whom he will inevitably clash every day. We try to deepen and investigate some aspects of adolescence that are perhaps still little known. But first, here's a "parents and guilt" themed video.
What is adolescence?
The word adolescence brings to mind memories of a period of life associated with great emotions and exaltations: the first crushes, the first kisses, friendships, on the one hand, and pains, yearnings, disappointments, continuous dissatisfaction on the other. . It is useless to deny it, adolescence is a bit "for everyone, the age of emotional storms, irrational falls in love," blind hatred of anyone. Typical of the adolescent is the extreme stance on any affair, the boundless confidence in one's own possibilities and the desperation that breaks out when one cannot overcome one's limits. It is precisely during adolescence that young people begin the tortuous path of self-research, weaving together excesses, great idealisms, infinite sadness, anger, farewells and great beginnings.
However "adolescent" translated from Latin means to grow up, or to pass from "being children in a playful and idyllic world, to collide with a reality that in most cases does not like and tries with all one's strength to change, failing.
See also
When does adolescence begin?
One of the most popular questions (probably from parents) is: when does adolescence begin? If you have a child who is over 10, then we can tell you that the adolescent phase will have begun for him. Adolescence is also known as the early stage. sex hormones develop and begin to be produced by certain glands in the body. Usually girls start producing them at the age of 11 or 12, while for boys it all happens a little later, between 12 and 13 years. It is precisely the sex hormones that initiate a series of physical changes and transformations, such as, for example, the increase in height, the change of voice (for males) and the possible arrival of the menstrual cycle (for females).
When does the period of adolescence end?
Just as it is fair to ask when adolescence begins, it is equally correct to ask when it can be said that this phase of transition and change can be defined as finished. If we consider everything from the physical point of view, we can say that adolescence ends approximately around the 18-20 years. In fact, the beginning of adulthood corresponds to this age group.
According to some recent studies, however, puberty would begin at 10 and adolescence would end around age 24. This would be defined as the age at which one begins to look after oneself and enters "adulthood," and the appearance important is that the data would have moved forward compared to the past.
To learn more, read the article: Difficult adolescence - learning to manage children at this stage of life
Why is adolescence a phase of major physical changes?
As already repeated several times in the previous paragraphs, adolescence brings with it important physical and psychological changes, in both cases absolutely clear and manifest. But while the latter are part of a continuous search for one's own identity (having lost the identity of children), physical changes are important and are not always accepted in the right way. Let's see which are the main ones for males and females.
- Physical changes in teenage girls
In girls, the first physical changes concern in particular the breasts, which begin to form and to be much more accentuated than in the past. Furthermore, it should be noted that girls grow in height much earlier than their male peers, and under the influence of hormones, the body begins to acquire round shapes.
with hips and pelvis that widen according to the type of body.
- Physical changes in adolescent boys
In boys, on the other hand, the most evident physical change concerns the genitals: first the testicles develop and then, after about a year, also the penis. Around the age of 12, the adolescent gradually loses his infantile appearance completely: he grows in height and the timbre of his voice changes. All these external changes also correspond to profound internal changes.
In general, adolescent males and females also begin to see thicker hair appear: in boys it manifests itself with the appearance of beard, pubic hair and hair on the chest, legs and arms. In girls, the hair starts from the face and pubic area and then extends, in a more light way, also to the legs and arms. In some cases, acne may also appear, an important rash that often affects the face and must be treated with ad hoc products. Finally, both males and females in this phase of life increase in stature. A last aspect that concerns only the girls, is the arrival of the first menstrual cycle, a clear signal for girls of the end of puberty.
How to deal with adolescence: useful advice for parents
To deal with adolescence and increase self-esteem that is often totally lost in this period, we have collected a series of useful tips especially for parents or for those dealing with a teenager in full identity crisis. It is not always easy to relate to your children when they become teenagers, so here are what to do and what not to do to make them calm and confident in their abilities.
- Listen to your child, but this does not mean always indulging his every whim, but showing that you are understanding his feelings, his doubts, his ideals, even those that seem wrong to you. Don't belittle it in any way.
- Never judge him, don't criticize him when he thinks or does something that is not good for you as a parent. Try to establish a dialogue to make him think.
- Do not ask questions in bursts, instead try to listen carefully to his explanations.
- If you go to pick him up after school, don't just ask how his homework went, but ask more general questions, about how he was during the day for example, if the lesson was interesting: it will be easier to prove that your child is invaluable to you.
- He categorically avoids treating him again as if he were a child, he is no longer one and this would only put him further in crisis. Show that you trust him by entrusting him with small tasks of responsibility: a purchase in a store, the choice of a dress, etc.
- Do not attach "labels" related to his behavior or character ("You are lazy", "you are listless", etc.), they would only make him grow up with a series of wrong and often not real complexes. Being lazy, for example, might just be a transition phase.
- Yes to gratification, but without falsehood: do not continually say "good" to your child even when it is obvious that he has done something wrong, rather try to explain where "the mistake is".
Adolescence and entry into society
Adolescence is also the period in which we separate from certain affections we had up to that moment (the family), question ourselves and try to create an identity for us to enter society. The first groups to which they belong are revealed, such as the class or school group. Belonging to a group of friends and peers with the same ideals is very constructive and makes the teenager who is trying to navigate the world more calm and balanced. Having his peers with the same problems, the same "paranoia" and the same questions for the future, helps the now ex-child to establish himself as an adult by finding models to inspire him.
