ADOLESCENT, THE STAGE OF STRESS AND STORMS!

ADOLESCENT, THE STAGE OF STRESS AND STORMS!

The word adolescence is Latin in origin, derived from the verb adolescere, which means “to grow into adulthood”. Adolescence is a time of moving from the immaturity of childhood into the maturity of adulthood. Though there is no single event or boundary line that denotes the end of childhood or the beginning of adolescence yet experts think of the passage from childhood into and through adolescence as composed of a set of transitions. These transitions are biological, cognitive, social, and emotional which can be a turbulent time for them. This age is sometimes referred to as teenage years, youth, or puberty. Occurring roughly between ages 10 and 20. 

Teenagers face different challenges during this stage, it is a time when they want to explore new things. A time of Adventure! At this stage, there are physical features of development that can be seen in the person. 

For the boys, their chest becomes broader, they become hairier, their voices become deeper, their body system starts releasing a hormone called Testosterone (A hormone responsible for the production of sperm), they develop hair on their pubic regions, etc.

For the girls, they start developing breast, their shapes become curvier with wider hips, their body system release Follicle Stimulating Hormones (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormones (LH) (these hormones are responsible for the production of eggs in the ovary, which when not fertilized leads to menstruation), they develop hair on their pubic region and so on.

Adolescents tend to be more emotionally volatile and they experience mood swings as a result of the changes that come with puberty. They easily get angry at parents, siblings, and teachers in school. They tend to be more secretive at this moment and can only share their feelings with their peers.

They want to do things they haven’t done before, like taking alcohol, indulging in sex, drawing tattoos, playing risky games, criminal activities, and drug abuse. At this stage, teenagers are most likely to lose love and respect for their parents.

They may not understand what is going on in their body, the reason why they think and act the way they do, they try to understand this by becoming more nervous. One major thing about this stage is that cognitively, their thinking becomes more multidimensional. Adolescents face lots of bullies from peers at this stage, some are forced by peers who are members of secret societies to belong and upon refusal, there will be lots of bullying and threats from peers.

Many parents dread this stage of their children’s life, fearing they will become more hostile and reject their families. Some parents try to override their children at this stage, by shouting at them at any slight mistake, they try to become more authoritative and all. And Adolescents dislike such attitudes from their parents, guardians, and teachers. Thereby instead of going closer to their parents and teachers, they stay away from them.

The information, treatment, and response adolescents get at this stage matters a lot, these information and responses can either MAKE or MAR them.

 As a teenager, you need to be very careful at this point, once you start noticing these changes. You need someone more mature than you to lean on to scale through this phase of life unmarred. You need to be closer to God for He is the surest person to trust, He knows what you are passing through and He will guide you through if you trust Him.

As a parent, older brother, sister, guardian, or teacher, please at this stage of their life handle them with attention and care. Don’t be too authoritative, be friends with them, Yes! As parents, you can be good friends with your children, make them know you are always available for them, and teach them the basic things they need to know about God, morals, life, sex education, choice of career, etc. God has entrusted those beautiful, handsome, and harmless adolescents in your care... 

BE A GOOD STEWARD!