A Variety of Gifts but the Same Spirit

 “Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare.” (Ed Asner). Even the most effective parents of young children may approach the years of their children’s adolescence with fear and trepidation. These years have been referred to as “range of the strange” or “hormones with feet” with prayer requests to “Pray for me. My child is now a teenager.” These years are filled with critical physical, intellectual, emotional, and developmental issues. The presence of loving, involved, informed adults is more important than ever!

 Below is the description of the normal feelings and behaviors of the middle school and early high school adolescent as identified by The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP):

Movement Towards Independence

• Struggle with sense of identity
• Feeling awkward or strange about one's self and one's body
• Focus on self, alternating between high expectations and poor self-esteem
• Interests and clothing style influenced by peer group
• Moodiness
• Improved ability to use speech to express one's self
• Realization that parents are not perfect; identification of their faults
• Less overt affection shown to parents, with occasional rudeness
• Complaints that parents interfere with independence
• Tendency to return to childish behavior, particularly when stressed

Future Interests and Cognitive Changes

• Mostly interested in present, with limited thoughts of the future
• Intellectual interests expand and gain in importance
• Greater ability to do work (physical, mental, emotional)

Human Sexuality

• Display shyness, blushing, and modesty
• Girls develop physically sooner than boys
• Increased interest in sexuality
• Movement toward heterosexuality with fears of homosexuality
• Concerns regarding physical and sexual attractiveness to others
• Frequently changing relationships
• Worries about being normal

Morals, Values, and Self-Direction

• Rule and limit testing
• Capacity for abstract thought
• Development of ideals and selection of role models
• More consistent evidence of conscience
• Experimentation with sex and drugs (cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana)

The AACAP states that “Young teenagers do vary slightly from the above descriptions, but the feelings and behaviors are, in general, considered normal for each stage of adolescence.” 

This letter is the beginning of a communication series to provide you with current research and information related to SJA philosophy, policies, and practice. 

In closing, as Doc Childre, founder of Heartmath, states, “With both heart and mind, we can build caring communities, design schools that develop children's wisdom and emotional strength along with their intellect and physical strength, and operate institutions with balance, intelligence and appreciation for people and the environment.”