The Science Behind the Adolescent Girl
While every parent has experienced the stages of puberty, it is not an identical experience for everyone. These days puberty is starting younger and younger. Parents can benefit from a refresher on the adolescent development of their daughters. When we arm ourselves with knowledge about adolescent development, we can better understand the behaviors, emotions, and thought processes of our children. This can help us navigate their use of and reliance on social media to better support their needs.
Adolescent Changes
Adolescents undergo several changes throughout puberty. The first main change is a "growth spurt of the skeletal and muscular systems that begins at about age ten for girls and twelve for boys and lasts for two to three years" (Brown & Knowles, 2014). This growth spurt often leaves adolescents with aching pains and discomfort we know as growing pains. These changes are often rapid and uneven. For example, bones in one part of the body, such as the arms or legs, may grow before anything else does, presenting young adolescents with that 'gawky-awkward' stage.
Girls' growth spurts typically occur around two years earlier than boys. The major benchmark in female puberty is menstruation. Along with menstruation, girls also experience breast development, pubic and underarm hair, and the rounding of the hips. Along with puberty, comes an influx of hormones. "The primary increase for females is in the hormone estradiol or estrogen; levels are approximately eight times what they were before puberty. Estrogen, along with progesterone, has a powerful influence over neurotransmitters. The main neurotransmitters that are active in the adolescent brain are norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. All three have a big influence on mood" (Brown & Knowles, 2014).
Discussing Menstruation
Talking to your daughter about menstruation may be a daunting task, especially if you are a single father. Yet, it is an essential action in ensuring your daughter is knowledgeable about and comfortable with her body. This is often a scary and unsure time for young girls, which should be answered with correct explanation and positivity.
I have linked two articles with helpful tips and advice on everything you need to know and discuss about menstruation with your daughter.
1) Talking to Your Child About Periods (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth
2) Preparing your child for menstruation - Mayo Clinic
Lower Self-Esteem
Along with the changes in puberty, comes lower self-esteem. In fact, "many young adolescents begin to see flaws in their academic, social, and physical traits that were never noticed before reaching this age" (Brown & Knowles, 2014).
The level of self-esteem students have is dependent on their perceptions of four central issues that affect their feelings of self-worth:
The amount of perceived control over their circumstances
The degree to which they are accepted by those from whom they desire acceptance (peers, teachers, parents)
A need to be competent in what they attempt and wish to accomplish
A sense of being virtuous to others
This lower self-esteem leaves young adolescents (especially girls) highly impressionable to social media influences.
Feelings of insecurity and anxiety over physical changes often leave girls emotionally stressed and vulnerable to the pressures of social media. During a period of rapid change, they look to social media to see how they "should" look and act in order to fit in with peers and the expected role of a feminine girl established by societal norms.
Medical research reveals that puberty and physical sexual maturity are occurring earlier for males and females than they did a century ago. Girls who physically mature earlier than their peers may experience low self-esteem since they are so different from their peers.
Check out the article below for more details about puberty starting earlier.
Ghorayshi 2022.docxCheck out this infographic to learn about how hormones affect adolescents during puberty.
