Child and Adolescent Psychology

Child and Adolescent psychology

May 23, 2012

From the age of 12 through 18 is a time where children are defending their independence and identity. This is known as adolescents, at this time there mood is sporadically changing and most parents are caught off guard. There once precious child is now a totally different person, one moment they can be having a wonderful conversation and the next there child can be screaming you do not understand leaving the parent trying to figure out what they missed. At this time there emotions are very complex, not only are there bodies maturing but so are there emotions. Due to all of this there self-esteem especially in girls has dropped and with the media flashing girls being a size two is not making it any easier on them. They then go through a period of feeling unworthy and tend to draw back form activities in school and asking for help from there teachers. “Yet the difference in self-esteem between boys and girls is small” (Bukatko, 10), but with the heartfelt and support down this hard path they are most likely to keep their high self-esteem. This is often hard for a parent since seeing their child pick pink as a new hair color or wear their pants down to their knees. However this is all due to their normal identity crises, but do not worry it does fade as time goes on. You could successfully negotiate this period with family, educational environments, and a social milieu that supports the needs and interest of adolescents. (Bukatko ,11) So most parents find it is better to “adjust to form more egalitarian relationships with their children” (Bukatko, 2). If parents are fighting with them all the time it may only make things worse, now is a time where children keep things from their parents such as health and safety. We know this is a time where teens are getting serious with one and other and may even feel unhappy with their bodies to be with others. So it is no shock when they keep an eating disorder to themselves....