The Wonderful Teen Years

Physical Changes – the Summary

*For the ladies*	*For the gentlemen*

The majority of the early physical and biological changes occur at 10-11 years of age. Though some are early bloomers and can start as young as 8. Others are late, starting around 13.	Most biological and physical changes occur about 11-12 years. Sometimes they start late at 14, others as early as 9.
Menstruation starts	Growth of the penis and testicles Erection and ejaculation
Development of breasts	Voice changes
Body shape and height changes At the start of puberty, girls grow faster than boys. After some time, the lads catch up so don’t worry. Increase in height and changes in body shape
Appearance and growth of body and pubic hair	Growth of facial and body hair
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Emotional and Social Changes

At this point in their life, young teens are searching for their identity. This is very crucial because it can be influenced by the expectations of the family, cultural background, gender and their circle of friends (peer group). You’ll also notice that your teen seeks more independence from you. You may be surprised that your teen wants to assume responsibilities both at school and home. At last, some help with the household chores. Teens also become adventurous at this time and want to have new experiences. They think they’re invincible and want to try new stuff. You as a parent will dramatically affect your teen’s sense of what’s right and what’s wrong. Going out with someone special is another thing you should be expecting when it comes to your teen. He or she is starting to figure out his/her sexual identity. Though most of the times it’s just puppy love and not sexual or intimate.

You’ll also notice that your teen wants to spend less time with you and more time with his or her circle of friends. Arguments with your teen can also raise some questions. Relax, it doesn’t mean they hate you or anything. It's just a part of them maturing. However there’s something unique to this generation that you as a teenager back then didn’t have. That’s the impact of social media and the Internet. These two influence how your teen communicates with his or her friends. The world is laid out at your teen’s feet through the Net. It’s a gateway to endless possibilities. But it can also be a concern when your teen becomes the victim to internet bullying so their connection with you as the parent is crucial.

Specific Health Related Issues

Your teen’s health depends a lot on the state of his or her mental health. It’s the foundation from which he or she will draw upon to determine what’s best for his or her wellbeing. As an adolescent, it’s normal to go through ups and downs. Anxiety can also accompany this phase. But if the anxiety interferes with their daily routines and/or lasts for more than a week or two, it’s no longer normal. Your teen may be suffering from an anxiety disorders or depression. So thats the time to get professional help.

Nutritious eating. At this stage, your teen will form his or her lifelong eating habits. Whatever you teach your teen now will last a lifetime, so it’s very essential to reinforce good food choices. Show them what it’s like to eat healthy at home, and you’ll realise that they’ll also do this when they’re away from home. Bravo, dear parent. Another good practice is to stuff your food cabinets and refrigerators with a lot of healthy ready-to-eat snacks. If your lessons on healthy eating are being ignored you can explain how junk foods, especially sugary foods cause acne breakouts. That should get them on board.

Physical activities. Besides encouraging your teen to be active in school sports, encourage him or her to have a daily 60-minute dose of physical activity. This will ingrain in him or her the value of staying fit. Though don’t demand the 60 minutes like a drill sergeant, this isn’t the military. They can spread it out evenly during the day like walking to school and playing outside with their friends.

Sleep, sleep, and more sleep. The greatest increase in height, muscle mass and bone density are encountered during the teen years. All of these happen when he or she is asleep, quality sleep that is. Aim for between 9 and 10 hours. Discourage late night TV viewing by setting an example and going to bed early too.

Introduce your teen to Mr. Deo Dorant. That’s deodorant. A transforming body will require important hygiene habits. Dental care and paying more attention when washing their genitals and armpits should top the list. Dads, help your boys out when it comes to shaving. Mums, please be the first one to accompany your girls in buying tampons and pads. Don’t forget to teach them how to use the stuff. A special note when dealing with acne. It may be their diet that’s responsible for an outbreak of pimples on your teen’s body. Severe acne that can affect your teen’s self-esteem.

Stress can come from a variety of sources when you’re a teenager. For example stress from school, from home, and from their peers. A poor body image can also magnify the stress your teen is going through. Have a sit down with your teen or go to the park and talk it out. Teach your teen natural ways to relieve stress like relaxation techniques or exercise. Adaptogenic herbs like withania and gotu kola may also be helpful when they have exams.

When your teen drinks alcohol, it doesn’t necessarily mean he or she has a drinking problem. Remember, wanting to drink alcohol and try out drugs can be part of the whole adolescent experience. But, according to the experts, there are no established safe levels of drugs and alcohol for teens. So take the time to discuss drugs, smoking and alcohol with your teen. Give them all the information about the risks involved with each. That way they can make an informed decision when they’re out with friends and hopefully will make sensible choices. If you’re concerned about your teen, observe their behaviour at home and school.

Suspicious behaviour that might tell you he or she is having drinking or alcohol problems include the following:

Your teen asks to borrow money from you more often
He or she uses mouthwash…every now and then.
He or she applies body spray more often or has an air freshener in their bag.
Your teen’s grade hit rock bottom or slowly deteriorate.
He or she spends an enormous amount of time with friends.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to unprotected sex, unwanted pregnancy, road accidents and possible criminal activity. If you’re having difficulty handling this, get professional help immediately.

All in all, keep in mind that your teenager is going through a lot of confusing changes and even if they are not always nice to you, they need to know that your support and love are there for them.