• Early adolescence (ages 11 to 16)
• Physical changes: the most since infancy & as rapidly as in infancy
• Physical, emotional, & developmental changes: manifestations of new behaviors that are usually challenging for the adolescent
• To cope with these new behaviors, it is helpful for both adolescents and the adults in their lives to understand the changes and the resulting behaviors
• One change you might experience is peers and social groups will become the focus of your adolescent's life. (i.e., friendship shifts, start to hear the names of new friends you have never met, and even given the title of “best friend”)
• Preoccupation with discovering where they fit into the social environment
• Explore boundaries and experiment with new independence (i.e., wanting to stay home alone versus going to the grocery store with you, or wanting to wear boots in the summer) Don’t over react, remain approachable so your child will realize you are supportive.
• KEEP LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN

Courtesy of Hayfield Middle School