Psychological characteristics of adolescence

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

When a child approaches 11 years of age, parents begin to notice some changes in their behavior. The child grows, psychologically rebuilding in accordance with the internal physiological processes in his body. In parenting, adolescence is considered the most problematic.

Toddlers

Yesterday's child is trying to realize his place in society, in the classroom, in a friendly company, in the family. Analyzing briefly the features of adolescence, we can conclude that a teenager painfully perceives his failures and is terribly afraid of loneliness. Any little thing can hurt a teenager. A careless caustic remark is often the cause of a prolonged blues. Features of adolescence - self-doubt, excessive emotionality and inability to control oneself.

Adults cease to be his authority. It is very difficult for parents and teachers to influence a teenager. He simply does not perceive them. The opinion becomes authoritative for himfriends, peers. A feature of younger adolescence is that it seems to the child that adults do not understand him. And he is looking for those people who, as he thinks, will understand him.

The physiological feature of adolescence is increased activity and fatigue. The energy of a teenager must be directed in the right direction. He will be happy to go in for art or sports, if he is explained that this will distinguish him from the crowd, and also help him become more popular in the children's society. But parental explanations that these activities are good for he alth, the development of mental abilities, in most cases are completely useless.

Demonstration of maturity

For a teenager, it is very important that adults understand: he is no longer small. He demands respect and appropriate treatment.

How can he prove that he is already an adult? What separates an adult from a child? Taking into account the peculiarities of the development of adolescence, we can come to the conclusion that the child answers these questions according to his own, still childish, understanding. That is why teenagers begin to smoke, drink alcohol and enter into sexual relationships, cease to obey adults. It is almost impossible to convince him that these are not signs of adulthood and maturity.

Beginning in 5th grade, the assembly discusses the characteristics of adolescence to help parents cope with the difficulties of the transition period in their child's life. assistantsparents will become a variety of circles and sections that correspond to the interests of the teenager. He will be busy and busy. You also need to keep an eye on what kind of environment the child has.

Fathers and Sons

The relationship between teenagers and their parents is going through a difficult period. A psychologist should acquaint the parents with the peculiarities of adolescence at the parent meeting. The growing child seeks to show his independence, often argues and is rude. Given the characteristics of adolescence, parents need to behave correctly. For starters, moralizing must be avoided. There will be no sense from them, since the teenager will perceive them with hostility. To be heard, parents need to speak softly and calmly. There should not be any categorical and sharpness. It is necessary to look for compromises, even to make concessions. No parent needs scandals with their own child. The main thing is to maintain good and trusting relationships. In no case should you offend, criticize, intimidate a teenager. This can permanently alienate him from his parents. Also, don't compare your child to others. Much attention is paid to this issue at the parent meeting on the characteristics of adolescence. Nothing good can be achieved by comparison.

A parent needs to be firm and consistent. A teenager should not feel that an adult hesitates. The authority of parents must be unshakable, no matter what. If adults scream, behave hysterically, it makes no sense to demand decent behavior from a child.

Parents should remember that their attitude towardschild is the basis of his self-esteem. If a teenager knows that he is loved, respected, appreciated, then he will feel more confident and free.

Study

The crisis of adolescence comes at a time when a child needs to give all his strength to study, to prepare for exams. But most teenagers put their studies on the back burner. Moreover, a teenager does not pay due attention to schoolwork, because classmates may consider him outdated, boring.

Problems begin: school performance drops sharply, parents are called. And all adults unanimously tell the teenager that he needs to think only about studying, think about his future. What does the child think about this? How tired of adults with their lectures! Both teachers and parents will need tremendous patience to deal with these characteristics of teenage children. Adults need to remember that adolescence lasts only a few years. The main thing is not to turn the child away from school with excessive strictness and incorrectness in this short time.

A feature of adolescence is, on the one hand, the desire to stand out, and on the other hand, not to stand out, to be the same as everyone else. The fear of a teenager is to become an outcast. Therefore, he will do his best to adapt to the mood of the majority. And this majority, unfortunately, treats education condescendingly and with contempt. There are not so many individuals who are confident enough in themselves and self-sufficient, and therefore are not interested inpeer opinion. Such teenagers learn with passion and diligence. Basically, this is the merit of their parents, who motivate their children in the right way and set the right goals for them.

Physiological problems of adolescents

The body of a teenager begins to change. There is, fortunately, not too long a period when his body seems disproportionate, and the movements of the child become clumsy. In addition, secondary sexual characteristics begin to develop in adolescents. Not everyone treats them correctly and calmly. Many are ashamed of their changing body. Parents should help the child, taking into account the peculiarities of the development of adolescence. They should explain to their child that these changes are completely natural, talk about the features of personal hygiene.

Profuse sweating in teenagers is a real problem, if you do not follow the rules of hygiene and, of course, do not use deodorant.

A teenager cannot help but worry about the pimples that appeared on his face. Parents need to inform the child about the features of skin care in adolescence. There are plenty of wash gels, scrubs and tonics that will help get rid of this annoying phenomenon.

First love

The time of first love is one of the most delightful in human life. Of course, provided that the love is mutual. For a teenager, this feeling is new, it confuses him. Everything fades into the background: parents, school, friends, interests. The whole world for a teenagerimprisoned in the object of his love.

It is important for parents to respond appropriately to this change in the life of their son or daughter. Do not obsessively question your child. Gently asked questions, delicate remarks will gradually provoke him into a frank conversation. If a teenager asks for advice or talks about new sensations from his feelings, parents should not criticize the object of his love, insult, allow themselves sarcastic and skeptical remarks. Let this love end in a few months, but now it seems to the child eternal. No need to disappoint him.

If love is not reciprocated, parents should tactfully support their child. You can talk heart to heart by telling a similar story from your own life or from the life of your friends.

Hikikomori

Teenagers who consciously withdraw completely from social life call themselves hikikomori or simply hikki.

Teenager does not want to communicate with anyone, leave his room. Perhaps it is too early for parents to sound the alarm. First you need to find out the reasons for the behavior of your growing child. Maybe he is offended by someone. Often this behavior is the result of conflicts with classmates or friends. Another thing is if the adolescent's isolation continues for a long time and is aggravated. In this case, you need to contact a psychologist who knows exactly what are the characteristics of adolescence.

Trap

It seems that the age characteristic of adolescence isthe desire to listen to everyone, but not to parents and teachers. Those adults who cause admiration and respect in teenagers are ready to accept them. That is why it is precisely teenagers who become easy prey for intruders who brilliantly use the personality traits of adolescence: naivety, energy, heightened feelings, aggression and ambition.

Victim of cybercrime

A teenager can become a victim of an attacker not only in real life, but also on the Internet. Criminals on social networks study information about the child, and then begin to communicate under the guise of a created page of a teenager of the opposite sex, which “miraculously” fully corresponds to the idea of a “soul mate”. Communication begins, which becomes more and more trusting and frank. The attacker tries to unobtrusively extort from the teenager as much information as possible, which will help to commit the crime. The goals of the offender can be very diverse. Basically, this is a robbery, violence or blackmail (after selecting the appropriate compromising materials).

How to protect your child from intruders? Communicate more with him, be aware of all his affairs, desires and aspirations. It also makes sense to check the browser history in order to know which sites and for what purpose the child spends time. And, of course, it is necessary to limit the time of using gadgets.

Virtual Life

Since a feature of adolescence is considered to be self-doubt, in one's abilities,attractiveness, it is more convenient for him to communicate on the Internet than in real life. In reality, he may make a mistake, behave stupidly, he may be hindered by shyness. And in social networks, a teenager feels more free, makes acquaintances more easily and maintains a conversation more boldly.

The other side of the social networking hobby, apart from the real threat of visual impairment from long time spent at the computer, is an escape from reality. In any case, life takes place in the present, not in the virtual world. Therefore, parents need to submit ideas of real hobbies that can really interest a teenager.

Why shouldn't teenagers go on strict diets?

This problem mostly affects teenage girls. Wanting to be like their idols (actresses, models, pop divas), girls begin to feverishly lose weight. There are a great many ways to lose weight. But teenagers, of course, choose the fastest acting ones, often refusing to eat food at all. Such debilitating hunger strikes lead to really terrible results. Tragic deaths have been reported. Rigid diets do not bring the desired magical weight loss. Not only do they cause severe harm to a growing body, contributing to the development of serious diseases, they also do not bring the desired effect. After the cessation of strict diets, the weight returns doubly.

If a teenager really has problems with being overweight, parents need to competentlyapproach your child's nutrition. It is enough to limit the use of flour, sweets and a variety of fast foods. Do not let your teenager overeat, it is better to let him eat 4, not 3 times a day.

Weight problems often occur in those teenagers who move little, spend a lot of time at the computer or on the couch with the phone. Parents can be offered to enroll their child in a sports section, and an older teenager can buy a subscription to a pool or gym. Walking in the fresh air will be very useful in such a situation. Also, parents can give their child a bike or roller skates, thereby motivating the child to an active lifestyle.

Relationships with peers

All psychologists agree that the center of a teenager's life is his communication with peers. This communication largely determines his behavior and activities.

Communication with peers is an area of relationships that is especially attractive to teenagers. Unlike relationships with adults, it is based on the principle of equality. This communication satisfies the actual interests and needs of a teenager, since the values that are formed in him at this age are close and understandable to his peers. The importance of communication with adults fades into the background. It can no longer replace communication with peers.

The desire for such communication is manifested very clearly in adolescents, becoming the most important need. Dysfunctional relationships with classmates, quarrels with friends, absence of a close friendcan be a real tragedy for a teenager. Loneliness is unbearable for a teenager, and worries about it can have sad consequences.

The teenager seeks to attract the attention of his comrades. This can happen in a variety of ways, including violating adult requirements.

Relationships with peers develop the child's skills of social interaction, collective discipline, balance of personal and public interests. In such a society, a teenager develops the communicative qualities that are so necessary for him in his future adult life.

Conclusion

Each parent must go through this difficult period with their child. The teenager finds himself in an ambiguous position. On the one hand, he is no longer a child and strives for independence, proving his rights to personal space. On the other hand, a teenager is very much dependent on his parents not only financially, but also emotionally. Parents need to remember that the rudeness of their child is not at all proof that he stopped loving them. It is necessary not to interfere with his search for his place in life and society, do not overprotect him. Some parents make the mistake of telling a teenager that they should act like an adult, but still treat them like a child. You should treat him as an equal, but not forgetting that he really needs the love and support of his parents, although he does not show it.