DEALING WITH THE EMOTIONAL CHANGES THAT PUBERTY BRINGS Chapter 2: Lesson 5 Pages

Vocabulary  Maturity: the stage of full development as an adult.

Why do my feelings keep changing?  During puberty everything is in a state of change!  Some of the moodiness you feel has a physical cause: scientists have discovered that mood swings in teenagers can be linked to hormone levels.  endocrine glands don’t release hormones at a steady rate during adolescence  To deal with your moods, focus on you best features and take care of your body with exercise, good nutrition, and rest.  You can’t avoid being moody but you CAN control how you express it!

How can I handle changes in relationships?  During adolescence, relationships with people your own age become very important.  Friendships help make the challenging time of puberty positive by providing companionship that helps you develop your independence and interests.  Sometimes, however, adolescence can bring conflict even among friends….

 Many adolescents want to be popular, this means being liked and accepted by many people their own age.  Being popular isn’t always the same as having close friends.  Sometimes young people group together in cliques that draw a line between “us” and “them” and exclude others who don’t “fit in”  Cliques can satisfy a need for security, but can also cause hard feelings  At the same time you are trying to fit in with friends, you will probably be trying to gain independence from your family.  You are trying to find ways to think and act for yourself as a separate person.

Lesson Checkup & Journal  What physical changes that occur during puberty contribute to frequent moodiness?  Describe two ways you can work through feelings of anger.  How could you describe your need for privacy and independence to family members in a way that shows maturity?  Write a description of the place where you would most like to be when you feel you need some time to yourself. Include the sounds you would hear and items you would like to have.