When kids get into their teen years, they get to the stage where they want to be treated as adults when they are still kids. Many parents will admit that this is a time when trying to talk to their kids becomes an uphill task. Teenagers are kids between the ages of 13 and 19 years. During this stage, efforts by parents to provide insight and guidance are often rebuffed. Attempts at discussion or dialogue are met with contempt and eye-rolling, leaving many parents feeling confused and full of self-doubt.
The teen years may be feeling like a real challenging time for you and your child. The different transitions that your child is going through can feel overwhelming. The changes that your child is experiencing may make you wonder whether you know your own child. Your mild child has become moody, dramatic, and opinionated. Fortunately, this is completely normal.
It is a stage that your child is going through and they may not even realize that they are being completely obnoxious. Understanding the different developmental milestones for teens will help you to deal more effectively with the changes that are coming.
Physical Development Milestone
During the teen years, children go through rapid and prominent physical changes. Girls and boys develop differently. Girls tend to reach puberty earlier between the ages of 8 to 13, while boys reach puberty between ages 12 to 15. While there is the general transition process, the changes occur differently in each individual.
During the first two years of puberty, your child will go through changes that range from growth of breasts and body hair to menstruation and a change in the voice. During the initial teen years, the child will grow rapidly, which means your child is suddenly much taller and heavier. Puberty changes in boys occur more gradually.
Cognitive Development Milestone
Teens go through a period when they begin to wonder what the future holds for them. Some begin to make long-term plans and life decisions. They decide what they want to do in the future or what they want to study. They talk about future jobs and in some cases, they may even be on their first jobs.
At this stage, most teenagers are organized and they have an idea of how to achieve their goals. They are aware of their limits and they understand that routine is important. However, during the initial stages, teens tend to have unrealistic goals and they may live in a fantasy world where they think that they are in control of everything.
Emotional Development Milestone
During the teenage years, kids tend to go through unpredictable mood swings and intense emotions. They have strong opinions and many times they believe that they are always right. The emotional maturity of a 13-year-old will be very different from that of an 18-year-old. However, with time, teens learn how to understand and deal with different opinions and perspectives.
During the emotional development stage, teens learn how to handle their emotions. They may not be experts at understanding facial expressions or body language and this often leads to misunderstanding. They do, however, tend to be more caring and sensitive towards others. It is important to realize that just because your child looks and acts like an adult does not mean they are mature. They will still make questionable decisions.
Social Development Milestone
The social developmental milestone involves the teen trying to figure out their personality while also trying to fit in with their peers. They are trying to develop their new identity. During this period, they begin to experiment with new lifestyle choices, interests, clothes, and music.
They demand to be treated as adults and may begin to take on more responsibilities. They will start to seek new experiences which can result in risky behavior. The teen develops an active social life. that means that they spend more time with their friends than their family. Teens are at a vulnerable age and during this stage, developing bad habits is common.
Understanding how teens develop will help you to know how to deal with them. Remember that the transition is confusing for your child as well. The kids are trying to deal with the complex changes they are experiencing as best as they can. It is very important to remain involved in your child’s life. They are vulnerable and easy to influence so you need to help your teen to make positive life choices. However, as a parent, you need to know when to step back to allow your teen to learn about decisions and their consequences.
Sources: positive-parenting-ally.com, understood.org, feedfond.com, medicinenet.com.