If your girl, who has always been a princess, has become dour and answering, and your son, who used to tell you everything, seems to be in another world and barely speaks to you … don’t suffer, nothing strange happens to them: are entering preadolescence.
We have all been teenagers. It is, neither more nor less, a stage of development that must be passed, and that can even have many good things. However, parents sometimes do not know how to understand their children’s preadolescence. They are not prepared to discover that their little one, only nine years old, maybe no longer be a child. Precisely, this advancement in the age of adolescence is what scares many parents who compare their children’s childhood with their own without having the significant changes that have occurred in society. But, how old is this stage supposed to start with? If you want to know the answer in the following FastlyHealarticle, we will explain when preadolescence begins.
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Preadolescence: when does it begin
Generally, it used to be said that preadolescence began from the age of 10 in girls (up to 12, more or less) and from 12 in boys (and up to 14). However, we are witnessing advancement in this stage, whose signs begin to be seen from 8 or 9.
On the one hand, physical development causes changes (especially in girls). These changes can begin to occur from the age of 8 to 16, while in children, the process is slightly delayed and can last about four or five years.
But the changes that preadolescence brings are not only physical but also psychological (which are the ones that most scare us parents). Changes in appearance, attitude, and behavior are beginning to be noticed. They show relatively weak self-esteem, and hormones start to play their part, causing children to seem to live on a roller coaster continually. They are not children, and they are not yet young, and they are confused.
Preteen behavior
Preadolescence could be defined as a stage of enormous changes, changes that occur at all levels and that are not only physical. On a psychological level, preadolescence can be noted with the following characteristics:
- The passage from childhood to adolescence gives birth to new fears that young people did not have before. Some examples are the fear of ridicule, modesty before one’s own body, and causes conflicts about one’s image to arise.
- They begin to need a greater level of privacy. For example, they spend more time alone in their room, listening to music or surfing the Internet.
- His group of friends begins to be the reference to the detriment of the family. They try to be part of a group and adopt their tastes, games, and attitudes.
- Another of the psychological characteristics of preadolescence that most affect parents are emotional changes. They can go from euphoria and laughter to disappointment and crying.
Preadolescence: physical changes
When psychological changes are not yet apparent in early preadolescence, children may ask their parents about the physical changes they are beginning to sense. At that time, the parents must give the appropriate information so that the child can calmly focus on this new stage.
The child’s body begins to take its adult form, and the child must know what to expect. Some of the physical changes of preadolescence are:
- They grow in what is called the lug.
- The genitals grow.
- Hair begins to grow in different areas of the body.
- Acne may appear.
In girls, the physical changes are usually even more significant and evident:
- The breasts grow.
- The hips become wider.
- Hair begins to grow.
- The first menstruation may come.
How to treat a preteen child
These changes can cause the relationship between the parents and the child to deteriorate; many parents may no longer know how to treat their child since overnight shifts all that to what they were used to, and it worked for them. But first of all, we must learn to be aware that all these changes are necessary and temporary. It is something essential in the normal development of your child towards adult life.
If we had to give advice, even though it is clear that there are no magic recipes, a lot of patience is needed since affection is presupposed. Now parents must be prepared to guide their children about the physical changes they are experiencing and help them as much as possible in making decisions, a capacity that they are beginning to put into practice.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any type of condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.