Pre-teens and teenagers go through many emotional, physical, social and cognitive changes. Your help and support is essential for them to handle the changes and develop well in adolescence. Children tend to over react and become stressed about every small detail that was not upto their standards.

During adolescence, their bodies, emotions and ideas about themselves develop and change at different speeds and times. There is nothing to worry if your child goes through some changes earlier or later than people of the same age as them. Each child develops at their own pace.

PHYSICAL CHANGES

All the physical changes in the human body at this age is a result of the start of puberty. Puberty is the time when your child goes through a series of significant natural and healthy changes which includes physical, emotional and social changes. During this period, the pituitary gland releases hormones that influences a girls’ ovaries and boys’ testes. 

It is characterized by growth of hair in certain regions of the body, voice break, growth spurt, self-consciousness and mood swings in both boys and girls. It usually happens around 10-11 years for girls and around 11-12 years for boys. But its normal for the start of puberty to range from 9-13 years for girls and 10-14 years for boys.

EMOTIONAL CHANGES

Pre-teens and teenagers often feel strong and sometimes overwhelming emotions like shame and humiliation. they might know the words to express such kinds of emotions but still fail to recognize them when they are upset. 

Also, because of their brain development it is not always possible for pre-teens and teenagers to express such feelings and manage them like an adult would do. This is the reason why they need constant guidance and support of adult people and their parents to make them understand that these changes are normal and even they had gone through this phase when they were a teenager.

SOCIAL CHANGES

Young people are very busy and stressed about figuring out who they are and where do they fit in the world. As a part of this process, pre-teens and teenagers might try out new or different styles of clothing, music, art, martial arts, friend groups etc. This is a common age when children try to follow their role model and try to act like them. They might also want more independence and responsibility. So, you have an important role to play in shaping their character and helping them to realize their own identity and a sense of their place in the world.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

A great deal of development is due to the fact of pre-teens and teenagers seriously considering an activity. Every person at this age aspires to be a professional in their field. So, it is a great time to make them indulge in physical activity. It will not only strengthen them mentally and physically but also provide them a motive to continue pushing forward. 

It will help them develop strong bones and muscles and maintain good posture. It reduces the risk of high blood pressure, anxiety, depression and type-2 diabetes and improves heart and lung health.

For example, basketball may help them hand eye coordination and boost growth, swimming will help in increasing lung capacity and strengthening muscles and so on. 

MENTAL ACTIVITY

Mental activity is as important as physical activity. Along with physical development, brain needs to develop as well. Solving crosswords, puzzles, sudoku etc. may help in development. Playing games like chess and memory games can also boost their brain development and decision making. 

Gaming can also help to relieve stress and increase brain development. Though most parents might reject the idea, it is proven that gamers have better hand-eye coordination, concentration spans, decision making and computer skills that non gamers. 

Games does not only include blood, killing and gore but also there are games where you are put into situations that force you to generate survival instincts or face death. A split second of distraction can result to your defeat.

Yoga is another way to achieve peace of mind and soul. Exercise and yoga might be the way to go for some people. The benefits are uncountable and there is nothing to lose. Deep and calm breathing can help in relieving your stress even in the most desperate of situations and help in making the correct decisions for yourself and your team.

DIET

A correct diet is necessary for the body to grow and work properly. At a growing age, body requires high amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals to develop properly. Consuming fruits daily along with green vegetables is a must. Protein sources can include chicken, seafood but refrain from red meat. Avoid caffeine intake and flavoured drinks, rather lean towards fresh fruit juices and milk which will actually benefit the body by strengthening bones.