Stages of Teens Development

Teens Development
A Stage of Childhood Development

Teens development is a chain of developmental stages from childhood to adulthood.

Going through teens is tuf, but it often seems like all fun. Good understanding of teenage development helps children's smooth transition from childhood to adulthood.

Each stage of development during teens imposes different demands on teenagers. Parents and other adults in their environment often fail to appreciate this as they are not always adequately informed of what is considered "normal" through the various developmental domains of childhood.

Teens developmental stages

The society of adolescence medicine defines teens as ages between
10 to 25 years of age. These years of childhood development are best characterized by 4 developmental stages:

Preteens: 09 to 13 years of age.
It is also known as tween and pre-adolescence. It brings its own challenges and anxieties; more than the preceding years of childhood development.
Early Teens: 13 to 15 years of age.
Middle Teens: 15 to 17 years of age.
Late Teens: 18 years on-wards.

All children need to negotiate through all these stages successfully to develop into healthy, happy and functional adults.

During teenage development children undergo many rapid developmental changes of body structure and physiology.

Puberty sets in early during teens development and with it occurs hormonal surge. This brings in the massive development and social changes designed for children's transition into adults.

Teens response to rising responsibilities

More privileges and rights are entrusted to these young adults, because of their remarkably improved physical capability and mature logical thinking.

However, the limitations in their experience and knowledge come in their way to perceive long term outcomes of a current decision making, which creates a source for conflict.

The added responsibilities and expectations increase in all social relationship of teenagers causing them further emotional turmoil.

Direct punishment or scolding is not acceptable to teenagers

Morally, children in their teen years believe in the right and the wrong. They expect fairness in all their dealings.

Discipline strategies at this age should therefore be of bilateral communication, which helps understand parents and children each others point of view.

During open bilateral negotiations parents and teachers can make teenagers understand the consequences of their actions, including removal of privileges for infringements. Caution: Punishment before prior explanation will only provoke rebellious instinct of teenage.