Skip to main content

Healthy Teen Development

 Young Teens (12-15 years of age)

This stage of younghood is very important stage for any human being. This is such a stage where the kids are not kids but they are becoming fully grown up man/Woman. the Initial phase of the Teenager is very crucial and full of changes. The teen goes through many development and changes Physically, Biologically and obviously mentally. This change is not so easy for them, even the hormonal changes also decide various traits in them which may surprise the parents. 


Developmental Milestones

This is a time of many physical, mental, emotional, and social changes. Hormones change as puberty begins. Most boys grow facial and pubic hair and their voices deepen. Most girls grow pubic hair and breasts, and start their period. They might be worried about these changes and how they are looked at by others. This also will be a time when your teen might face peer pressure to use alcohol, tobacco products, and drugs, and to have sex. Other challenges can be eating disorders, depression, and family problems. At this age, teens make more of their own choices about friends, sports, studying, and school. They become more independent, with their own personality and interests, although parents are still very important.

Here is some information on how young teens develop:

Emotional/Social Changes

Children in this age group might:

·         Show more concern about body image, looks, and clothes.

·         Focus on themselves; going back and forth between high expectations and lack of confidence.

·         Experience more moodiness.

·         Show more interest in and influence by peer group.

·         Express less affection toward parents; sometimes might seem rude or short-tempered.

·         Feel stress from more challenging school work.

·         Develop eating problems.

·         Feel a lot of sadness or depression, which can lead to poor grades at school, alcohol or drug use, unsafe sex, and other problems.


Thinking and Learning

Children in this age group might:

  • Have more ability for complex thought.
  • Be better able to express feelings through talking.
  • Develop a stronger sense of right and wrong.


Positive Parenting

Following are some things you, as a parent, can do to help your child during this time:

  • Be honest and direct with your teen when talking about sensitive subjects such as drugs, drinking, smoking, and sex.
  • Meet and get to know your teen’s friends.
  • Show an interest in your teen’s school life.
  • Help your teen make healthy choices while encouraging him to make his own decisions.
  • Respect your teen’s opinions and take into account her thoughts and feelings. It is important that she knows you are listening to her.
  • When there is a conflict, be clear about goals and expectations (like getting good grades, keeping things clean, and showing respect), but allow your teen input on how to reach those goals (like when and how to study or clean).

Child Safety First

You play an important role in keeping your child safe―no matter how old he or she is. Here are a few tips to help protect your child:

  • Make sure your teen knows about the importance of wearing seatbelts. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 12- to 15-year-olds.
  • Encourage your teen to wear a helmet when riding a bike or a skateboard or using inline skates; riding on a motorcycle, snowmobile, or all-terrain vehicle; or playing contact sports. Injuries from sports and other activities are common.
  • Talk with your teen about the dangers of drugs, drinking, smoking, and risky sexual activity. Ask him what he knows and thinks about these issues, and share your thoughts and feelings with him. Listen to what she says and answer her questions honestly and directly.
  • Talk with your teen about the importance of having friends who are interested in positive activities. Encourage her to avoid peers who pressure her to make unhealthy choices.
  • Know where your teen is and whether an adult is present. Make plans with him for when he will call you, where you can find him, and what time you expect him home.
  • Set clear rules for your teen when she is home alone. Talk about such issues as having friends at the house, how to handle situations that can be dangerous (emergencies, fire, drugs, sex, etc.), and completing homework or household tasks.


Healthy Bodies

  • Encourage your teen to be physically active. She might join a team sport or take up an individual sport. Helping with household tasks such as mowing the lawn, walking the dog, or washing the car also will keep your teen active.
  • Meal time is very important for families. Eating together helps teens make better choices about the foods they eat, promotes healthy weight, and gives your family members time to talk with each other.
  • Limit screen time for your child to no more than 1 to 2 hours per day of quality programming, at home, school, or afterschool care.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Homework - The extra Burden to kids and root for Stress

There is always a debate for Homework whether it should be abolished or retained. Many of us has different opinion in this regard. Like Ramakrishna Param Hans Said it rightly. Jata mat Tat path. ” The more opinion the more ways”   I also quote the proverb “ Practice makes a man Perfect” Mind it its man not a child. The moto of education is to make a child a citizen, a Human Being not Perfect. Thanks to Ministry of HRD who really heard the cry of these innocent minds. After long-drawn school hours, kids return home and immediately get down to tackling the day’s homework. Where is the time to relax and do other extra-curricular activities?Does homework need to be rethought so that it is less of a burden and engages the child more effectively? School-related stomachaches, headaches, sleep problems and depression are on the rise. Parents too have a hard time, often doing a major part of the homework to help out the child. Kids are all supposed to be having the physical activ...
1 comment
Read more

9 Teacher strategies to improve average performance of the class

Being an Education Manager myself, it has always been my earnest endeavor to watch each student is performing at Their best. I have found that there is no magical wand that can help you improve average performance of the class. But it is a collaborated effort made by the students, their parents, and of course us as the teachers. Here are my ten recommendations of specific and measurable actions which a teacher can implement to improve average performance of the class: Increase parents’ involvement It is very important to share information about students’ performances with their parents. Its always to be persisted to be in touch with all students’ parents. Teachers make it a point to specially discuss with them their child’s academic performances and general conduct. They also make sure that I highlight where their child needs improvement. In my opinion, the more informed the parents are, the more likely it is that students will get support at their homes. When you interact with ...
3 comments
Read more

Dyslexia, A phenomenon you Should be aware of

Dyslexia  is a common learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling. It's a specific learning difficulty, which means it causes problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing. Unlike a learning disability, intelligence isn't affected. This is a common Problem with the kids. Do you know 85% of the kids below the age of 12 showing the symptoms of dyslexia. Many of us take it as a disease or Mental disorder but please let me tell you this is just " Confusion in the Mind to take decision right or wrong"   which is common to anybody   even you too. Symptoms Symptoms of dyslexia in children aged 5 to 12 include: Problems learning the names and sounds of letters Spelling that's unpredictable and inconsistent Putting letters and figures the wrong way round (such as writing "6" instead of "9", or "b" instead of "d") Confusing the order of letter...
Post a Comment
Read more