5 – When does adolescence begin
Adolescence
like adolescence, is an important stage in an individual’s life, in which the features of the complete personality are crystallized, which will continue with him throughout his life. It is a stage characterized by rapid growth and continuous renewal in all developmental manifestations. Smooth childhood and between the stage of maturity and the completion of growth
the male begins to move from the stage of childhood to manhood, as well as the girl, as she proceeds to the stage of the completion of her femininity, and from there to the stage of youth and maturity
The concept of adolescence
adolescence is a source of the act of a teenager who is a teenager, that is, the child is in his age stages that are approaching adulthood, permeated by many developmental features that puberty is one of its most prominent features, and puberty appears in both males and females; In the male it is a wet dream, and in the female it is menstruation
The beginning of adolescence divides the stages of human growth into several developmental stages, each of which has its own physiological, social and psychological characteristics, which distinguishes each stage from the other, but they are interrelated and interconnected
each of which is built on the basis of its predecessor. As for the age at which this stage begins, it is the age of twelve to twenty-one, and females usually precede males by a year, but these ages differ from one society to another, and from one individual to another, in addition to the important role of individual differences. The stage of adolescence was divided into time stages to facilitate the process of studying its characteristics, and the division was as follows
Early adolescence
This age corresponds to the preparatory stage, and is characterized by rapid growth in all areas of physical, emotional and sexual development; The process of puberty begins with its organic indicators and the emergence of sexual characteristics. The continuation of these developments exposes the adolescent to a lot of psychological pressure
He suffers from a disorder of adaptive skills with himself, his family and his society, so he tends to be introverted and isolated, and becomes very sensitive to any observation directed to him, especially towards his appearance, in addition to cases of imbalance and acute and exaggerated emotions
The middle adolescence stage
corresponds to this period the secondary stage, after the adolescent in the previous stage went through a lot of turmoil and the speed of internal growth, the adolescent becomes calmer and more adaptable in this period with continued growth but at a slower speed,
in addition to the clarity of his vision of his tendencies and trends, with the emergence of feelings of rebellion towards authority He seeks to maintain and maintain his independence through a sense of social responsibility, and a tendency to provide assistance to others, and that he has an important role in his surroundings
Late adolescence
corresponds to this period of the university stage, where the adolescent at this stage reaches the completion of sexual and physical maturity, but his mental development continues until the end of this stage, in addition to a high rate of fitness, and the adolescent tries to control his emotions and responses, and strive to integrate aspects of his personality, feeling With independence
taking responsibilities, and having the skill of being able to make decisions independently, and define his goals that he seeks to achieve, he also increases his interest in achieving social and self-consensus, and social and religious values crystallize at this stage
The most important instructions in dealing with adolescents
Educators and parents should take a sound, calm and balanced approach in dealing with the adolescent and with the obstacles and problems that will pass him, and the most important things to be aware of are the following: him in his appearance in the appearance he wants and leave the choice to him
Focusing on the teenager’s positives and achievements, and praising him, surrounding the teenager with an atmosphere of passion and warmth, direct expression of love, and loving and respecting his friends. Stay away from long and direct advice, it is better that the guidance be brief and reach a specific goal
Sharing his interests and talking to him about them, and opening the horizons of himself towards what he loves, his feeling that the father treats him as his friend and not in a position of authority makes the father an audible place in the adolescent’s soul. Candidness of the teenager and building effective speech
. When the father, for example, talks about his concerns in a wise and appropriate way to gain the son’s trust, his son will exchange feelings for him, share and express his problems. Not to give directions and observations in front of others, or to diminish his abilities in a skill, or to mention his mistakes
Using the method of dialogue and warm discussion to correct mistakes, even in assertive situations, and avoiding imposing orders; This will open a door for the teenager to use his stubbornness and rebellion. Not intruding on his personal life, respecting his privacy, and being satisfied with remote monitoring
Motivating him to raise his self-confidence by assigning him some of the tasks that adults do and holding him responsible, and not directly correcting the resulting errors, if any. Accept the opinions of the teenager and open the way for him to talk about what is inside him
in addition to appreciating these opinions and showing how important they are. Sharing his ambitions and goals, helping him achieve them and walking towards them, and helping him plan what he aspires to Providing proper and good nutrition for adolescents
He is in a stage of rapid growth in which he needs healthy and appropriate food, in addition to providing him with comfort in case he feels tired. Integrating the adolescent in social activities that require his attention, in addition to physical activities, such as playing ball, swimming and other sports; to discharge its internal energy
What is adolescence
What is adolescence
Adolescence is defined as an age stage of development between childhood and adulthood, and according to the World Health Organization, the age of the adolescent is estimated between 10-19 years and may extend to 24 years of age. When others described it as stressful and linked to certain behaviors, this stage is accompanied by many changes, the most prominent of which are the following
Physical changes and psychological, social and moral developments. Feeling the need for independence and self-formation, and the emotional weakness of the adolescent’s attachment to his parents
The disparity in the speed of physical changes and growth spurts in puberty from one teenager to another, it may occur in some slowly and gradually, while it may occur quickly in others; Therefore, the adolescent may show signs of maturity at an early or late period
, according to the nature of his body growth. Increased feelings of anxiety and insecurity.[3] Most adolescents are selfish for a certain period, which usually decreases with age. The focus of the attention and focus of others, whether close to him or far from him. The teenager’s excessive interest in his appearance, as well as his preference for his friends over his family most of the time
Stages of adolescence
The early stage of adolescence The early stage of adolescence includes the age group between 10-14 years, and is characterized by the following: Both sexes pass through this stage the first stages of puberty. The emergence of sexual interests. Little thinking about the future, while the focus on moral and ethical thinking is great. The middle stage of adolescence The middle stage of adolescence includes the age group between 14-17 years, and is characterized by the following
The passage of both sexes in this stage the first stages of puberty. The emergence of sexual interests. Little thinking about the future, while the focus is on moral and ethical thinking too much
The middle stage of adolescence
The middle stage of adolescence includes the age group between 14-17 years, and is characterized by the following: the speed of growth in males, which is accompanied by a roughness of the voice. Physical changes are complete in most females. The appearance of acne in some adolescents
Increased interest in sexual matters and questions about them, which calls for the need for support and follow-up from parents. striving for independence; Which explains why the teenager resorts to arguing with others a lot. Thinking about things abstractly and holistically, with difficulty applying ideas
Significantly increase the influence of comrades on the teenager, as he spends most of the time with them. The brain continues to grow, as the level of maturity in the adolescent is not yet complete, because the growth of the frontal lobes of the brain is completed at the age of 20 years, as these lobes are responsible for controlling emotions, thinking about the consequences of things, and the ability to make important decisions
The late stage of adolescence
The late stage of adolescence is the last stage of adolescence, also known as the youth stage, as this stage includes the age group between 18-24 years, and is characterized by the following: Thinking of things rationally. Paying attention to and planning for the future. Independence, gaining a sense of identity and self-affirmation. emotional stability
Adolescence problems and their solutions
There are many problems of adolescence, and the following are the most prominent of these problems and proposed solutions to them:
Academic problems
The National Center for Education Statistics in the United States of America indicated in an updated study in 2020 that 5% of high school students in the United States neglect education from They drop out of their schools every year, and among the proposed solutions is this; Providing support and advice to adolescents by parents, and helping them to study when needed
Obesity
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States of America indicated that 20% of individuals between the ages of 12-19 years are obese, and this makes adolescents more vulnerable to health diseases, as well as to increasing bullying on them by others
and one of the most prominent solutions proposed in it; Communicating with a specialist doctor to follow up the appropriate weight for the height and age of the adolescent, and in the event that the doctor recommends a specific type of food or the need to exercise, the parents should follow up and encourage the adolescent
Depression and exaggeration of feelings
the adolescent becomes more moody and exaggerated in expressing feelings of sadness and distress, and does not accept any help. According to the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States of America, approximately 3.2 million adolescents experienced a severe depressive episode at least once in 2017 AD; That is, approximately 13% of adolescents may suffer from depression before they reach adulthood,
and this appears in a change in the sleep regime and a tendency to isolation, and among the proposed solutions is the communication of parents with a specialist to provide assistance to the adolescent if they notice a decline in his studies or a tendency to loneliness
Addiction to social media
Although there are multiple benefits to social media, there are many risks that it causes, as a teenager can form bad relationships, watch inappropriate pictures and clips or violent and bloody scenes, which leads to cyberbullying in In some cases, [6] among the proposed solutions to this problem are the following
Take advantage of the control and follow-up programs dedicated to controlling social networking sites, allocating a specific time to the use of electronic devices
Follow-up and control by parents on the social media used by adolescents, in order to reduce the potential risks,[6] as it is not possible to prevent or completely prohibit them from using them because of their importance in communicating with others, especially in adolescents
Failure to adhere to the time specified for him by his parents
: the teenager is usually late in returning home, in addition to the lack of commitment to the time specified for him by his parents, and among the proposed solutions; Show parents flexibility in determining the time available for the teenager to spend his time outside the home, bearing in mind that the time is largely commensurate with the time usually available to his peers, and the need to specify penalties in the event of non-compliance
Their respect for their parents, in addition to their indifference to their opinions as a form of proof of their identity. Among the most important proposed solutions to this problem are the following
Parents’ awareness of the characteristics of the adolescence stage, so that they can accept this behavior during this period, which helps them to remain calm despite their psychological impact
Do not allow the teenager to insult his parents or persist with obscene words or behaviors that are not acceptable to them. Notifying the parents of the teenager near him and providing him with support, because of its importance in building mutual trust between them
