The period of adolescence falls on 12-15 (11-17) years. A feature of growing up is the completion of the formation of secondary sexual characteristics, as well as puberty.

Psychologically, puberty is manifested by a quick change in mood, stubbornness, irritability, a desire to be with peers most of the time, as well as other signs.

Adolescence is marked by a transition in human consciousness from feeling like a child to understanding their growing up. Physiological changes, including hormonal changes in the body, cause a feeling that something has changed, and what exactly is not yet clear.

therefore children show a craving for everything new, as well as a denial of generally established principles, previously instilled by the parents of the lifestyle.

Each child goes through this difficult period with its own difficulties and characteristics. Its duration is also different for each specific case. However, with a favorable course of the transitional period, it ends by the age of 15 years.

Age features of adolescent boys

Adolescence, the characteristics of which are different for both sexes, occurs in boys with the following characteristics:

Anger and aggressiveness. The appearance of this behavior is a consequence of increased testosterone production.
Dulling feelings of fear. Also correlated with changes in testosterone levels.
Concern about your own external data no less than girls. Intolerance of criticism about your appearance. Dissatisfaction with one's appearance can lead to insecurity and isolation.
The desire to independently solve their problems. A boy at this age wants to be perceived as a grown man, and the inability to cope with his own troubles leads to a violation of peace of mind.
Striving for deeds and the lifestyle of a grown man. However, the boy still cannot fully understand the result of his actions.

Sudden emotional outbursts appearwhich are also hormonal in nature.
Demonstration of an increased interest in the intimate side of life, strong attraction to the opposite sex.

Teenage psychology of girls

Adolescence in girls proceeds with the following symptoms:

Concern about your own appearance and the inconsistency of their image with the generally accepted. Especially vividly, girls show a desire to be like friends or significant personalities in adolescent society. At this age, there is often a desire to do a hair like a friend's or dress in things that idols prefer.
Desire to draw attention to oneself, often due to provocative behavior or outfits, as well as catchy makeup.
Sudden mood swings are common, outbursts of anger, aggressiveness.
A keen desire for independence arises.
A girl usually experiences her first love at this age., which, most often, remains unanswered.

Internal physiological early signs of adolescence

Adolescence is characterized by different internal physiological characteristics for boys and girls.

The following features can be distinguished for boys:

A few years before the appearance of external signs of growing up a boy, his brain begins to produce puberty hormones - androgens, the most striking manifestation of which belongs to testosterone. It is hormones that lead to internal and external changes on the way to adulthood.
A period of active growth begins. For a year, a child can grow by 10 cm. Moreover, in boys this period is delayed in comparison with girls by about 1 year. This leads to mismatches in the height and physique of boys and girls in early adolescence.
Active enlargement of tubular bones. The chest unfolds and takes on a masculine shape.
Internal organs are also affected. The growth of the muscular system is accelerated. The heart and lungs increase in size.
The pituitary gland changes its activity. The thyroid gland is active.

Girls undergo similar changes in the body:

Active production of sex hormones. Estrogens are responsible for growing up in girls. It is in adolescence, when the menstrual cycle in girls is not formed, that uneven estrogen release can lead to the greatest changes in mood.
The complete formation of the pelvic organs and the girl's reproductive system ends with the formation of the menstrual cycle. Moreover, a lot of time can pass between the onset of the first menstruation and the formed monthly cycle.

The full function of the reproductive system goes through a complex formation, which consists of several stages and can last up to 8-12 years. The final formation of the reproductive system will occur only by the age of 21-22.

Rapid growth of bones and skeleton is manifested. A girl can grow 8 cm in a year.

External physiological signs

Physiological changes occurring in boys during puberty:

The increase in the external genital organs occurs at the age of 10 to 11 years.
At the age of 11-12, the first hair begins to appear in the pubic area, and skin pigmentation occurs in the testicular area.

At the age of 12-13 years, the hair on the genitals acquires a thicker shape and lengthens, the growth of the external genital organs also continues.
At the age of 14, the vocal cords begin to grow, the structure of the throat develops. These processes lead to a change in voice that becomes more like a man's. The development of the voice function and its formation takes about 2 years.
The appearance of the first thin hair in the mustache area and in the armpits. Hair growth in other parts of the body also appears. The hair will take its final shape by the time the boy is completely puberty.
The rapid development of muscles occurs at the age of 13-14 years. Outward manifestations include expansion of the chest, increased shoulder width, increased height, and general muscular strengthening of the body structure.
The appearance of spontaneous ejaculation during sleep. Such processes appear from 10 to 16 years old and are called pollution.

External physiological changes in adolescent girls:

Growth and expansion of the pelvic bones occurs. The thighs become more rounded. The buttocks become more pronounced. These changes occur at the age of 8-10 years.

At the age of 9-10, the formation of the mammary glands begins. The nipple becomes pigmented, and the breast begins to take on a feminine shape.
At the age of 10-11, hair appears in the armpits and in the pubic area.
From the age of 11-12, the onset of the first menstruation can be expected.
By the age of 15-16, the shape of the body acquires an almost complete appearance, hair growth stabilizes, and regularity appears in the menstrual cycle.

Psychological problems of adolescents

Adolescence, the features of which, under unfavorable conditions, can lead to psychological problems, can provoke a child the following manifestations:

Possible problems	Special cases of problems	Clarification and clarification
Hypersexuality	Masturbation	Society condemns masturbation. Therefore, the teenager feels guilty, which makes the situation worse.
	Shyness of your own virginity	It manifests itself when replacing the feeling of love due to the march of hormones to the usual sexual desire. Causes the desire to lose virginity at any cost and obsession with this situation
	Erotomania	Is to over-emphasize sexual acts and maneuvers
	Early sexual encounters	May lead to early pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases
Seclusion, depressive moods, thoughts of suicide	Ignoring your duties and personal hygiene rules	It manifests itself in the unwillingness to follow the requirements previously established by the parents about the observance of the order, the fulfillment of certain duties at home. Neglect of personal hygiene standards is also possible.
	Establishing a psychological barrier between a teenager and parents	It arises as a response to misunderstanding on the part of parents.
	Lack of friends	May be due to character traits.
	Ignoring past interests	As a rule, it arises in combination with the emergence of new interests that are not always acceptable and useful
	Immersion in fantasy or virtual world	Passion for online games, following the rules of gaming communities in real life
Tendency to self-assertion, desire to be an adult	Deviant behavior	Represents leaving home, addiction to drugs, alcohol and tobacco, early and promiscuous intercourse, absenteeism
	Conflict with teachers and relatives	The desire to impose your own rules of communication
	Hiding your personal life, refusing to listen to advice from adults	The child considers himself an adult and thinks that he knows his needs and the possibilities of solving his problems better
Striving to be part of the teenage group, not being different	Criminal acts committed by a group of persons	All group activities are subject to the desire to be accepted in adolescent society. The negative influence in the group is most often exerted by a stronger personality, characterized by provocative behavior. Children with less strong character fall under her influence and find themselves in unpleasant situations
	Group use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, drugs
	Joint truancy
	Depraved behavior, participation in group sexual intercourse

Social relationships

Adolescence, the features of which represent an exit to a renewed stage in social relationships, is focused on finding oneself in human society.

The basic needs for the socialization of a teenager are manifested in the desire to connect with peers and separate from adults. Also important is the adolescent's need for people to recognize his independence and claims to the rights and freedoms of his personality.

The nature of communication with peers, which is so important for a child at puberty, can be divided into age groups:

10-11 years old. The need to be in a society of peers, joint activities.
12-13 years old. The need to assert one's own persona in the hierarchy of adolescent society, the desire to take the right position among peers.
14-15 years old. The prevalence of the desire for independence, recognition of the importance of one's personality.

As a rule, in adolescent communities, despite all the denial of the adult behavior model, a hierarchy of generally accepted human values \u200b\u200bis established. Various species distortions are possible, which depend on upbringing and the environment, but honesty, loyalty, camaraderie and other norms of behavior in society are fundamental.

Adolescence for both girls and boys tends to be difficult to communicate with peers and adults

In relationships with adults, it is customary to talk about the emancipation of a teenager, his separation from the society of adults and some of its rules.

At the same time, social relations with an adult are of a dual nature:

The teenager counts on equality and the consolidation of his rights on an equal basis with all representatives of society, because he is already an adult.
A teenager needs support, protection from adults. At the same time, the preservation of the previous forms of control over the activities of the adolescent arouses strong protest.

Typical conflict behavior in social relationships is manifested in any case, but its severity and intensity largely depend on the manner of communication of an adult, his respectful attitude towards the personality of a teenager.

How to talk to a teenager

Rules for talking with a teenage child:

Don't read the notation. They are unpleasant even for young children. And if you start a conversation with a grown-up child with moralizing, then in a minute his attention will switch to something more interesting.

No need to press charges. It is worth conducting moralizing conversations in a soft and unobtrusive manner.
Conversations between cases. It is unpleasant for a teenager to pay more attention to his problems, because he thinks that he can cope with most of them on his own. Therefore, face-to-face conversations may not bring the desired result. It is much more effective to have a careful conversation in the course of joint activities, as if between things.
Adherence to modern technical achievements. It is often easier to express your thoughts and open problems in writing. Modern social networks and instant messengers allow you to communicate with your child in a form familiar to the adolescent community.
Do not be afraid of praise. A teenager, because of his insecurity, is in dire need of approval. It is prudent to express support for the child's hobbies and interests.
You should refrain from screaming and raised tones in a conversation with a teenager. A calm tone is perceived easier at this age.

Causes of the crisis

The crisis period in adolescence can proceed almost imperceptibly or, on the contrary, bring conflicts and deviant behavior with it. The reasons why such a difference is possible can be divided into external and internal.

Excessive custody and total control by parents is the root cause of the crisis in the transitional age of their children

External causes of the adolescent crisis include:

excessive control of the child's actions by the parents;
overprotection, which calls into question the adolescent's ability to be independent;
dependence in relationships between family members.

Internal reasons lie in the psychological characteristics of each particular child. Personality traits that interfere with self-affirmation and self-expression are internally perceived as serious flaws. There is a tendency to self-blame yourself as a failed person.

Reorganization of the body, the production of a significant amount of hormones leads to puberty, the adjustment of all body systems. However, like any restructuring, it is fraught with problems of adapting to new thinking and a new body, which causes behavioral problems.

Behavior during a crisis

The behavior of an adolescent is inherent in the characteristics of an adult, combined with the traits that a small child possesses.

Features in behavior inherent in adolescence:

Refusal to study, perform household duties.
Expressed protest behavior, which consists in skipping classes, running away from home.
Imitative behavior. Imitation is expressed in the desire to be like your ideal adult or peer.
Compensatory behavior. Compensation for shortcomings and inability to achieve results in a certain area of \u200b\u200bactivity, achievements in another area.
Emancipation. It manifests itself in the desire to separate from adults, independence, the desire to solve their problems personally.
There is a desire for grouping with peers.
The emergence of hobbies, hobbies in which the child achieves self-expression.
Increased interest in sexual problems, attraction to the opposite sex.

The main phases of the crisis period

Adolescence, the features of which are different for certain age intervals, can be characterized by two phases:

Younger adolescence. Falls at 12-13 years old.

Physiological aspects of the growing up of the body lead to a spurt in the growth of the child, there is a disproportionate body, awkwardness. The teenager begins to think that he is no longer different from an adult. There is an awareness of their individuality, often through the prism of the chosen standard from among adults.

During this period, it is important for parents and other adults to form an appropriate attitude towards the child. It is necessary to communicate with him as an equal adult., take into account his opinion and individual preferences.

Ignoring this advice can lead to destructive behavior in a teenager: an increase in feelings of anxiety, loss of a sense of security, a breakdown in the sense of personal balance.

Senior adolescence. It falls on average for 14-16 years.

The formation of secondary sexual characteristics ends, the child becomes more and more like an adult. The first life plans and strategies for their implementation appear, that is, the child follows the path of complete awareness of his own personality.

Also, the cultural predisposition to certain objects, occupations and other forms of realization of one's personality is determined.

Factors influencing the course of the adolescent crisis

There are a number of factors that can lengthen or complicate the adolescent crisis period:

The environment in which the upbringing and life of the child takes place.
Peer relationships.
Poor microclimate in family relationships of parents.
The image of the relationship between students in an educational institution.
Lack of communication, which leads to the fact that the child has no one to tell about his experiences.
Misunderstanding and rejection of the child's personality by parents and teachers.
Bad examples among the environment.
Character traits of a teenager.
Time and nature of the onset of puberty.

How to help get through a tough time

The physiological changes along with the psychological problems during the adolescent crisis are quite difficult for the growing up child. Parents need to make the most of their efforts, coupled with the delicacy of the situation. Each child is unique, therefore, the approach to him during adolescence must be unique.

You need to be patient and try to follow these tips:

It is unobtrusive to enter the environment of the child. The main task is to become a true friend of a teenager. The parent will have to counter the adult's confidence in misunderstanding with a calm and friendly approach.

You can make the teenager understand his weaknesses and shortcomings, expose his complexes. Having entered the environment of the child, the parent will be able to participate in life situations that he will share and help in solving problems if necessary.

Show interest in the child's hobbies and activities. Support and praise will not be redundant for the emerging personality. It will also be useful to talk about the thoughts and reasoning of the teenager, his points of view on various issues. It will not be superfluous to ask his opinion in resolving family issues.
Providing freedom. For a teenager, personal space is especially important, ideally his own room. Freedom and the right to choose is a fundamental principle in communication and relations with a child of adolescence. You need to restrain yourself from wanting to control the actions, things and feelings of the teenager.

Failure to follow this advice can lead to communication problems. The best thing in communicating with an older child is finding compromises and unobtrusively directing the course of his thoughts in the right direction.

Inadmissibility of critical remarks. If one cannot do without them, then it is much better to point out the criticality of the act than the insufficiently good qualities of the person himself. Teenagers overreact to negative remarks about themselves, so it is necessary to speak softly, and sometimes accompanied by praise.
Personality recognition. A teenager is a full-fledged person with personal interests and opinions. Don't try to impose your own conclusions.
Praise. It is especially important for a child at this age due to the formation of mental processes and awareness of their own personal value.

Being patient with emotional attacks from the side of the child. It should not be forgotten that a violent reaction to inappropriate behavior of a teenager on the part of a parent can undermine his authority and lead to a violation of trust in the relationship. It is necessary to conduct conversations in a calm atmosphere and in a calm tone.

For both the child and his parents, adolescence is a difficult time. However, its features are temporary phenomena that largely depend on the correct perception of the child by parents and people around them.

Parents are able to help their child survive the crisis period and help him to form the necessary integrity of his personality and life attitudes that correspond to generally accepted moral standards.

Article design: Natalie Podolskaya

Video about the features of adolescence

Adolescence in girls and boys - features of the course:

Introduction

Adolescence is the most difficult and difficult of all childhood ages. It is also called transitional, because during this period there is a kind of transition from childhood to adulthood, from immaturity to maturity, which permeates all aspects of a teenager's life. The successful formation of a child, adolescent, and subsequently a young person as a person determines not only his inclusion in public life, but also his finding his own niche.

Features of the development of a teenager

Adolescence is the age from 10-11 to 15 years old. Adolescence is called transitional age, because during this period there is a kind of transition from childhood to adulthood, from immaturity to maturity. In this sense, a teenager is a half-child and half-adult: childhood has already passed, but maturity has not yet come. The transition from childhood to adulthood permeates all aspects of the adolescent's development and his anatomical, physiological, intellectual, and moral development, and all types of his activities: educational, labor and play.

In adolescence, the living conditions and activities of a schoolchild seriously change, which leads to a restructuring of the psyche, breaking up old, established forms of relationships with people. Students move on to a systematic study of the foundations of science. And this requires a higher level of their mental activity: deep generalizations and proofs, understanding of more complex and abstract relationships between objects, the formation of abstract concepts. The student's social position and his position in the team change significantly. The student begins to play a significantly greater role in the school and family, more serious demands are made on the part of society and the collective, on the part of adults.

The most important fact of the physical development of adolescents is puberty, the beginning of the functioning of the gonads. The onset of puberty depends to a large extent on national-ethnographic and climatic factors, as well as on the characteristics of individual life (health status, past illnesses, nutrition, work and rest, environment, etc.). Most boys mature sexually by age 15, and girls by age 13-14. Despite the fact that the body becomes sexually mature by the age of 13-15, it is, of course, impossible to talk about physical, and even more spiritual, ideological, social, civic maturity at this age.

Development of thinking. In the process of learning, the thinking of the adolescent is very noticeably improved. The content and logic of the subjects studied at school, the change in the nature and forms of educational activity form and develop his ability to actively, independently think, reason, compare, make deep generalizations and conclusions. The teacher's confidence in the mental capabilities of the adolescent is as much as possible consistent with the age characteristics of his personality.

Development of observation, memory, attention. In the process of learning, a teenager acquires the ability for a complex analytical-synthetic perception of objects and phenomena. Perception becomes planned, consistent and comprehensive. A teenager perceives not only what lies on the surface of phenomena, although here much depends on his attitude to the perceived object. Lack of interest, indifference to the material - and the student amazes with the superficiality, lightness of his perception. A teenager may look and listen in good faith, but the perception will be casual.

The labor of a teenager. As a rule, teenagers are very willing to work. First, this expresses such a striking age feature as the activity of adolescents. Secondly, in serious work they get the opportunity to realize the feeling of adulthood that is forming in them, and the guys value this opportunity very much. Thirdly, work usually takes place in a team, and the significance of life and work in a team for a teenager is very great. Thus, the labor activity of adolescents is an activity that fully meets their age characteristics and needs. The observed cases of laziness, evasion from work, ignorance of one's work duties, negligent attitude to work assignments are solely a consequence of improper upbringing.

Labor makes it possible to form in adolescents the skills of independent planning, which is directly related to the development of independent thinking. Therefore, it is important that adolescents do not always receive ready-made instructions on how to perform and the sequence of individual labor operations, but establish this independently, analyzing the work assignment they received.

In shaping the personality of a teenager, a teacher should rely on an emotionally colored desire, which is extremely characteristic of a teenager, to actively participate in the life of the team. The acquisition of the experience of collective relationships directly affects the development of the personality of a teenager. The team develops a sense of duty and responsibility, the desire for mutual assistance, solidarity, the habit of subordinating personal interests, when necessary, to the interests of the team. The opinion of the peer group, the assessment of the adolescent's actions and behavior by the collective are very important for him. As a rule, the public assessment of the class team means more to a teenager than the opinion of teachers or parents, and he usually reacts very sensitively to the amicable influence of a team of friends. Therefore, the presentation of requirements for a teenager in a team and through a team is one of the ways to form his personality.

The attraction of adolescents to the team is often expressed in the fact that they organize street, yard companies. Most of these groups are stable formations, which are led by older guys - boys 17-20 years old. Of course, not all such companies should be wary of educators. But in any case, it is necessary to take a closer look at them, observe and try to involve them in the sphere of influence of public organizations.

It is necessary to highlight a number of the most important directions in which the development of personality is going. This is an intensive formation and development of: a) moral (moral) consciousness, 6) self-awareness, c) feelings of adulthood, and d) communication activities.

Thus, adolescence covers the period from 11-12 to 15 years. During these years, the whole organism is reorganized. Therefore, adolescence is usually called transitional. At this time, intellectual, moral and physical forces are actively developing. The modern teenager strives to comprehend himself and the world around him, has a wide range of spiritual needs, interests and hobbies. The teenager is distinguished by an increased interest in his inner world, his strengths and capabilities, and in life goals. The adolescent's desire to actively influence himself does not always coincide, and sometimes even conflicts with his habits, spontaneously arisen desires. As a result, disorganization and indiscipline appear. An important feature of adolescent thinking is criticality, especially in relation to the statements of adults. There is a desire to understand life on your own. This feature of the teenager's thinking contributes to the development of independent views and beliefs, which is important in the formation of his personality. Physical development at this age is characterized by intensive growth of the body in length. Therefore, the teenager looks long, narrow-chested, awkward. This affects his posture and gait.

Each age is good in its own way. And at the same time, each age has its own characteristics, there are difficulties. Is no exception adolescence.

This is the longest transition period and is characterized by a number of physical changes. At this time, there is an intensive development of the personality, its rebirth.

From the psychological dictionary: "Adolescence is the stage of ontogenetic development between childhood and adulthood (from 11-12 to 16-17 years), which is characterized by qualitative changes associated with puberty and entry into adulthood."... I will try to tell you a little about the peculiarities and difficulties of adolescence.

The psychological characteristics of adolescence are called "teenage complex"... What is he like?

Here are its manifestations:

sensitivity to outsiders' assessment of their appearance
extreme arrogance and categorical judgments about others
attentiveness sometimes coexists with amazing callousness, painful shyness with swagger, a desire to be recognized and appreciated by others - with ostentatious independence, a struggle with authorities, generally accepted rules and common ideals - with the deification of random idols

The essence of the "adolescent complex" consists of their own, characteristic of this age and certain psychological characteristics, behavioral models, specific adolescent behavioral reactions to environmental influences.

The reason for psychological difficulties is related to puberty, this is an uneven development in various directions. This age is characterized by emotional instability and sharp mood swings (from exaltation to depression). The most affective violent reactions occur when someone around tries to infringe on the pride of a teenager.

The peak of emotional instability occurs in boys at the age of 11-13 years, in girls - at 13-15 years.

Psychic polarity is characteristic of adolescents:

Purposefulness, persistence and impulsiveness,
Instability can be replaced by apathy, lack of aspirations and desires to do anything,
Increased self-confidence, categorical judgments are quickly replaced by vulnerability and self-doubt;
The need for communication is replaced by the desire for retirement;
Swagger in behavior is sometimes combined with shyness;
Romantic moods often border on cynicism, prudence;
Tenderness, affectionateness are against the background of childish cruelty.

A characteristic feature of this age is curiosity, an inquisitive mind, a desire for knowledge and information, a teenager seeks to master as much knowledge as possible, but sometimes not paying attention to the fact that knowledge must be systematized.

Stanley Hall called adolescence the "Storm and Onslaught" period. Since during this period in the personality of a teenager, directly opposite needs and traits coexist. Today, a teenage girl sits modestly with her relatives and discusses virtue. And tomorrow, depicting war paint on his face and piercing his ear with a dozen earrings, will go to the night disco, saying that “in life you have to experience everything”. But nothing special (from the point of view of the child) happened: she simply changed her mind.

As a rule, adolescents direct their mental activity to the area that fascinates them the most. However, interests are unstable. After practicing swimming for a month, a teenager will suddenly declare that he is a pacifist, that killing anyone is a terrible sin. And for this he will be carried away with the same passion for computer games.

One of the neoplasms of adolescence is the sense of adulthood.

When they say that a child is growing up, they mean the formation of his readiness for life in the society of adults, moreover, as an equal participant in this life. From the outside, nothing changes in the teenager: he studies in the same school (unless, of course, his parents were suddenly transferred to another), lives in the same family. All the same in the family, the child is treated as "little". Much he does not do himself, much is not allowed by his parents, whom he still has to obey. Parents feed, drink, dress their child, and for good (from their point of view) behavior they can even "reward" (again, according to their own understanding - pocket money, a trip to the sea, going to the cinema, a new thing). he is far from adulthood - physically, psychologically, and socially, but he wants so much! He objectively cannot join adult life, but strive for it and claim equal rights with adults. So far they cannot change anything, but outwardly imitate adults. and the attributes of "pseudo-adulthood" appear: smoking cigarettes, parties at the entrance, trips out of town (outward manifestation of "I also have my own personal life"). Any relationship is copied.

Although claims to adulthood can be ridiculous, sometimes ugly, and role models are not the best, in principle it is useful for a teenager to go through such a school of new relationships. After all external copying of adult relationships - this is a kind of enumeration of roles, games that occur in life. That is, a variant of teenage socialization. And where else can you train if not in your family? There are really valuable options for adulthood, favorable not only for loved ones, but also for the personal development of the teenager himself. This is inclusion in a completely adult intellectual activity, when a teenager is interested in a certain area of \u200b\u200bscience or art, deeply engaged in self-education. Or taking care of the family, participating in solving both difficult and daily problems, helping those who need it. However, only a small proportion of adolescents achieve a high level of development of moral consciousness and few are able to take responsibility for the well-being of others. Social infantilism is more common in our time.

The appearance of a teenager is another source of conflict. The gait, manners, and appearance are changing. More recently, a freely, easily moving boy begins to waddle, dropping his hands deep into his pockets and spitting over his shoulder. He has new expressions. The girl begins to jealously compare her clothes and hairstyle with the patterns that she sees on the street and on the covers of magazines, splashing out on her mother about the existing discrepancies.

The appearance of a teenager often becomes a source of constant misunderstandings and even conflicts in the family. Parents are not satisfied with either youth fashion or the prices of things that their child needs so much. And a teenager, considering himself a unique person, at the same time seeks to be no different from his peers. He can experience the absence of a jacket - the same as everyone in his company - as a tragedy.

The following happens internally.

The teenager has his own position. He considers himself to be old enough and treats himself like an adult.

Desire for everyone (teachers, parents) to treat him, as equal, an adult. But at the same time he will not be embarrassed that he demands more rights than takes on responsibilities. And the teenager does not want to be responsible for something, except in words.

The desire for independence is expressed in the fact that control and assistance are rejected. More and more often from a teenager you can hear: "I know everything myself!" (This is so reminiscent of the baby "I myself!"). And parents will only have to accept and try to teach their children to be responsible for their actions. It will be useful for them in life. Unfortunately, such "independence" is another of the main conflicts between parents and children at this age. Own tastes and views, assessments, lines of behavior appear. The most striking thing is the emergence of an addiction to a certain type of music.

The leading activity at this age is communicative. Communicating, first of all, with his peers, a teenager receives the necessary knowledge about life.

The opinion of the group to which he belongs is very important for a teenager. The very fact of belonging to a certain group gives him additional self-confidence. The teenager's position in the group, the qualities that he acquires in the team, significantly affect his behavioral motives.

Most of all, the characteristics of the personal development of a teenager are manifested in communication with peers... Any teenager dreams of a bosom friend. What about someone who could be trusted "for all 100", as himself, who will be loyal and faithful, no matter what. They look for similarities, understanding, acceptance in a friend. The friend satisfies the need for self-understanding. In practice, a Friend is analogous to a psychotherapist.

Most often they are friends with a teenager of the same gender, social status, and the same abilities (although sometimes friends are selected by contrast, as if in addition to their missing features) Friendship is selective, betrayal is not forgiven. And together with adolescent maximalism, friendly relations are of a peculiar nature: on the one hand, there is a need for a uniquely devoted friend, on the other, a frequent change of friends.

How much has been said and written about the characteristics of adolescence, but, nevertheless, this period of life remains the most mysterious and unpredictable. Let's try to briefly describe this segment of life in order to understand why this happens.

Adolescence and its features

Adolescence is a time when awareness of oneself in society, knowledge of norms of behavior and communication is formed. The teenager is especially interested in social problems, values, life position is laid. There is a desire for self-realization of their abilities. The child is able to differentiate what is really interesting to him, what he would like to do in the future.

The child achieves success in a specific area of \u200b\u200bactivity that determines his future life. During this period, the qualities that are the foundation for his worldview are strengthened.

Puberty, which characterizes a given age, is accompanied by an acceleration of physiological and socio-psychological development, changes in character, behavioral reactions, and perception of the world as a whole.

Anatomical - physiological characteristics of adolescents

The adolescent period is characterized, first of all, by physical changes - the proportions of the adolescent's body, his height and weight change. The growth of the body occurs disproportionately - first the head, arms and legs reach the size of an adult, and then the body. This provokes internal conflict and rejection of oneself as a teenager.

The rapid development of the muscular system is noted, which negatively affects the cardiovascular system. Changes in tone, vascular and muscle, lead to rapid fatigue and a sharp change in the emotional state of adolescents. Such failures are observed in other organs: heart, lungs, blood supply to the brain is disrupted.

The rapid growth of organs and body is due to the influence of sex hormones. This process is characterized by the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics.

Psychological features of adolescence

An important feature of this period is the feeling of adulthood, which is caused by physiological changes. The child wants adults - parents, teachers, to treat him as an equal now, see him as a person, reckon with his position. He does not accept control and guardianship from an adult.

For him, the opinion of the team about himself and his actions becomes a priority. The teenager feels the need to have a friend with whom he can share his innermost thoughts and secrets.

During this period, there is an orientation towards oneself, self-examination, introspection. The child strives for recognition of his merits by others. He is too sensitive and vulnerable, emotionally unstable. Aggressiveness bordering on a neurosis-like state is often manifested. Such changes in all spheres absorb the teenager entirely.

It is important during this period to help the child realize that this difficult period in life will soon pass, it is only necessary to overcome the next step on the way to adulthood.

Behavioral features of adolescence

For adolescence, purposefulness is characteristic, focus on achieving maximum results in the matter that arouses keen interest. On the one hand, a teenager strives for independence, and on the other hand, he feels the need to build relationships with parents, teachers, and peers. He is on the border between childhood and adulthood.

The adolescent is characterized by an emancipation reaction - a desire to break free from the care of adults, to free himself from mentoring and control from the older generation. But he does not want one hundred percent liberation, moreover, he is afraid of this, because he realizes that he does not yet have the opportunity to fully take care of himself and live independently.

During this period, the need to be grouped is formed, to take a significant place in one's group. Sometimes there are conflicts between peers. For boys, this happens due to the competition for leadership - who is stronger, smarter, physically developed, etc. Girls have conflicts against the background of competition for attention from the opposite sex.

In order to survive the age characteristics of adolescents most favorably, on the wave of mutual understanding and consent, it is necessary to implement the following tasks:

Surround your child with love and understanding.
Allow your child to be independent in decision making.
Respect his chosen position.
Restrictions should be clearly stated, understandable for the teenager, related to values \u200b\u200bor meaning for his later life.
Establish unobtrusive communication with the child, explain to him that this difficult period will end, provide support. You should try to become a friend and advisor for him.

Thus, knowing about the features of this emotionally, physiologically and psychologically difficult period, it will be easier for the child to survive it, and it will be easier for adults to find a common language with their child, to help overcome this step, while maintaining a trusting relationship.