Question

Prepare a three minute speech on behavioural changes in adolescence.

Answer 1

Adolescence is a time of big social and emotional development for your child. It helps to know what to expect and how to support your child through 
During adolescence, you’ll notice changes in the way your child interacts with family, friends and peers. Every child’s social and emotional development is different. Your child’s development is shaped by your child’s unique combination of genes, brain development, environment, experiences with family and friends, and community and culture.

Social changes and emotional changes show that your child is forming an independent identity and learning to be an adult.




searching for identity: young people are busy working out who they are and where they fit in the world. This search can be influenced by gender, peer group, cultural background and family expectationsseeking more independence: this is likely to influence the decisions your child makes and the relationships your child has with family and friendsseeking more responsibility, both at home and at schoollooking for new experiences: the nature of teenage brain development means that teenagers are likely to seek out new experiences and engage in more risk-taking behaviour. But they’re still developing control over their impulsesthinking more about ‘right’ and ‘wrong’: your child will start developing a stronger individual set of values and morals. Teenagers also learn that they’re responsible for their own actions, decisions and consequences. They question more things. Your words and actions shape your child’s sense of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’influenced more by friends, especially when it comes to behaviour, sense of self and self-esteemstarting to develop and explore a sexual identity: your child might start to have romantic relationships or go on ‘dates’. These are not necessarily intimate relationships, though. For some young people, intimate or sexual relationships don’t occur until later on in lifecommunicating in different ways: the internet, mobile phones and social media can significantly influence how your child communicates with friends and learns about the world.


shows strong feelings and intense emotions at different times. Moods might seem unpredictable. These emotional ups and downs can lead to increased conflict. Your child’s brain is still learning how to control and express emotions in a grown-up wayis more sensitive to your emotions: young people get better at reading and processing other people’s emotions as they get older. While they’re developing these skills, they can sometimes misread facial expressions or body languageis more self-conscious, especially about physical appearance and changes. Teenage self-esteem is often affected by appearance – or by how teenagers think they look. As they develop, children might compare their bodies with those of friends and peers goes through a ‘bulletproof’ stage of thinking and acting as if nothing bad could happen to him. Your child’s decision-making skills are still developing, and your child is still learning about the consequences of actions.Many people think that adolescence is always a difficult time, and that all teenagers have bad moods and behave in challenging ways. In fact, some studies show that only 5-15% of teenagers go through extreme emotional turmoil, become rebellious or have major conflicts with their parents. Social and emotional changes are part of your child’s journey to adulthood. You have a big role to play in helping your child develop grown-up emotions and social skills.


wants to spend less time with family and more time with friends and peers has more arguments with you: some conflict between parents and children during the teenage years is normal, as children seek more independence. It actually shows that your child is maturing. Conflict tends to peak in early adolescence. If you feel like you’re arguing with your child all the time, it might help to know that this isn’t likely to affect your relationship with your child in the longer termsees things differently from you: this isn’t because your child wants to upset you. It’s because your child is beginning to think more abstractly and to question different points of view. At the same time, some teenagers find it hard to understand the effects of their behaviour and comments on other people. These skills will develop with time.

Answer 2

Adolescence comes with its fair share of changes, many of which can sometimes worry parents; these transformations can be physical, psychological, emotional, sexual, etc. Sometimes, our ability to adapt is put to the test. So how can you make this necessary phase as smooth as possible?
 
Physical change
The physical transformations observed during adolescence are, in most cases, the result of hormonal changes as the teenager’s body is transformed from child to adult. This phase, called puberty, starts between the ages of 9 and 16 and usually ends between the ages of 18 and 22. Puberty occurs at different times for everyone. The sexual hormones are responsible for these physical changes; a boy’s body produces more testosterone while a girl’s body produces more estrogen.

Physical changes observed in both girls and boys include growth spurts, increased perspiration, acne problems and appearance of pubic and underarm hair.