Introduction:
During adolescence, their mood may change quickly, frequently, and randomly. They may get confused, angry, and scared very easily. They are more sensitive and may get upset easily. In this stage, they will be forming their identity. Positive relationships with parents and teenagers are needed for adolescent social and emotional changes.
What Is Puberty?
Puberty is the stage when a boy or girl becomes sexually mature. For a girl, it happens at the age of 10-14 years, and for boys, it occurs between 12-16 years of age. It is associated with physical, emotional, and hormonal changes in the body. Puberty proceeds through five Tanner stages, ranging from pre-pubertal to full maturity.
Puberty follows a pattern of onset and sequence. Environmental and genetic factors and differences in each individual may affect puberty.
Some issues related to puberty are,
- Delayed puberty.
- Precautious puberty.
- Contrasexual pubertal development.
- Premature adrenarche.
- Premature thelarche.
- Premature or delayed menarche.
Puberty can bring about stress and emotional changes in individuals, along with changes in their bodies. It is important to notice the changes taking place in puberty.
What Are the Social Changes Taking Place During Puberty?
Social changes occurring during puberty are,
- Identity: At this stage, teens will be working on who they are and where they fit in the world. These will be fond of new clothing types, music, friendship groups, etc. Their choices depend on their friends, family, culture, and media.
- Independence: These like to be independent regarding how they get around and where they go, how they spend money, etc. As they become more independent, their relationships with family and friends may change.
- Responsibility: At this stage, they tend to take on more responsibility at home and school. This aspect should be encouraged to take more responsibility.
- New Experiences: At this stage, they look forward to new experiences, especially risky ones. They may also face difficulties, depending on the development of the brain, when trying new things with new consequences and risks.
- Values: During this period, they start questioning more, and they feel like individuals with morals and values. Parents' words and actions influence the child’s sense of right or wrong.
- Influences: Teens get influenced by their friends and peers. These include their appearance, interests, sense of self, and self-esteem. Career choice, morals, and values will be influenced by parents.
- Sexual Identity: Teens may start to have romantic relationships at this age. It is not an intimate relationship. For some people, this type of relationship occurs later in life.
- Media: The Internet and social media influence the behavior of teens. They have benefits in the social development of teens as well as risks. These risks can be tackled by talking with them and providing them with internet safety information.
What Are the Emotional Changes Taking Place During Puberty?
Emotional changes occurring in teens during their puberty include,
- Changes in Mood and Feelings: These children may have intense emotions and strong feelings. They will have varying moods. Their brain is still in the growing stage, where they will still be learning how to control their emotions and express their feelings in a grown-up way.
- Sensitiveness to Others: Children as they grow, may start noticing and understanding the feelings and expressions of other people. Some may need help understanding the feelings of others.
- Change in Their Consciousness: Teens' self-esteem may depend on their appearance and thoughts. They may start comparing themselves and their bodies with their friends and peers.
- Ability to Make Decisions: Teens will still be learning about decision-making and may act without considering the consequences and risks.
What Are the Relationship Changes That Take Place During Puberty?
Similar to other changes, there are changes related to relationships. They include
- They like to spend more time with their peers rather than with family.
- They want to be independent, and they start arguing with their parents.
- They start to think differently and start to ask questions to know different points of view.
- They may upset others due to not knowing how their actions or words might affect others.
- There may arise more conflicts between parents and teens in early adolescence. These changes indicate that the child is developing into a person.
- The relationship will not be affected, though the arguments are more common among teens and parents.
- Developing ways to calm the child can help smoothly manage conflicts.
How Do Support and Overcome Changes Take Place During Puberty?
Changes during adolescence are part of everyone’s life during the developmental stages. The parent's role is very important in developing adult feelings and social skills. The strong relationship between family and friends helps shape adulthood during adolescence.
Some idea that may help support the development during adolescence is,
- Being a Role Model: Teens observe parents and, hence, learn and adapt to positive relationships with friends, partners, children, and colleagues. Being a role model may help children learn from their observations. They will learn to adopt positive relationships with respect and empathy and know positive ways to solve conflicts.
- To Know About the Child’s Friends: Knowing about their friends and getting along with them helps build social relationships.
- Listening to the Child’s Feelings: Listening to the child's feelings is a strong way to build a good rapport with the child.
- Keeping Open About Your Feelings: Telling about the feelings you undergo when the child behaves in certain ways may help the child correct himself or understand your feelings.
- Discussing Relationships, Sex, and Sexuality: Talking about relationships, sex, and sexuality openly builds trust in children, and they will share their opinions easily.
- Focusing on the Positive: When children have moodiness, focusing on positive aspects or praising them helps bring them back to normal.
Conclusion:
Adolescence is a stage where many changes occur. Dealing with these changes takes work. Hence, knowing about the changes and ways to overcome these issues is important. This, in turn, helps achieve a good quality of life.
