The growing experience with our youth is such a beautiful thing. From the moment you were told you’re expecting, to the end of your third trimester and finally, to your delivery day, you grow and so does your little bundle of joy.
The thing about children, is that the growing never stops. With that growth comes hormonal change, emotional change and even personality changes.
Everything is haywire and you would easily think that your child hates you and would rather be elsewhere.
If you are experiencing challenges with your teen, tween or young adult, keep in mind that this is absolutely normal and your child needs you now more than ever.
Adolescence is one of the most outwardly dramatic times of development and change in our child’s life, second only to the changes that occur from conception to around age two. (Kidsspot.com)
Why? It’s because the growing process at this age is one that your child is experiencing first hand. They hear their voices changing and they feel the emotional rollercoaster. When they look in the mirror, they see their bodies changing right before their very eyes. Can this be scary? Yes, it can be scary, especially if they don’t understand all that is happening or what else is to come.
As a parent, it is easy to feel rejected or distanced from them. Your teen is going to seem aloof and the last person they really want to talk to is mom or dad. Most parents find that their teaching is done by the time their children reach the age of 12.
While there is always learning and teaching to be done, statistics show that between the ages of 12 and 14, children become less involved with their parents. This is the process of them trying to find themselves and figure out how to understand and take control of the whirlwind of components that contribute to becoming an adult.
The transition from childhood to adolescence is something that not only the teen experiences. The friends and family members around him/her also experience this change as well.
For the next few weeks, this column will shed light to the issues and challenges families will face with their teen, tween or young adult. We will discuss an array of avenues to take if you find yourself feeling like there is no connection between parent-child.
This is the beginning of their forever and it only gets bumpier. Stay tuned.
Paishance Welch Teens,
Tweens and Young Adults
Leave a Reply