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Middle Adolescence Physical Development

Ages 10 to 14: Early Adolescence
Physical Growth & Development
• Puberty for many children and pre-teens begins during this stage of adolescence.
• Pre-teens experience both physical growth and sexual development,which can be uncomfortable for pre-teens and teens.
• Body changes during early adolescence may include developing hair under the arms and in the pubic area, testicular enlargement in males,
and breast development in females.
• Changes usually start happening earlier for females than for males. Females may start developing a year or two ahead of boys in most cases.
• Changes can start as early as age 8 in females and age 9 for males but can become more noticeable at the onset of adolescence.
Mental & Emotional Development
• Pre-teens and teens begin to assert more independence as they move through the stages of adolescence.
This means they may rebel, especially when parents reinforce rules and set limits.
• Children of this age group often have an increased need for privacy, another sign of wanting more independence and less supervision.
• They may also require more privacy to deal with the curiosity and anxiety that come with body changes and new feelings.
• It’s common for pre-teens to become more focused on themselves, or a bit egocentric.
Their thoughts and feelings are centered on themselves, making them self-conscious.
• At this point, kids start feeling like they are always being judged by people, especially their peers.
• At this point in adolescence, children have a very “black-and-white” thought process.
Something is either right or wrong, with no room for other interpretation.
They see things as either amazing or awful, rarely ever just “okay.”
Ages 15 to 17: Middle Adolescence
Physical Development
Changes from puberty are still happening in teens during middle adolescence.
• Physical changes in females may have slowed down or finished, but by this age most will start having regular menstrual periods.
• Most males will have started their pubescent growth spurt
• Male’s voices begin to lower and there may be a period where the voice cracks.
• Acne develops in both males and females. Mental & Emotional Development
• As the brain continues to develop, thought processes mature during this time, however, they still do not process things like adults yet.
o The frontal lobes are the last parts of the brain to develop and are not fully mature by this stage. The frontal lobes are responsible for complex decision making, judgment, impulse control, and considering the consequences of actions.
• Teens at this age may be able to start thinking in the abstract and start seeing the bigger picture rather than the specifics of one situation.
They can use logic but are still primarily driven by emotion.
• Teens of this age start feeling interested in romantic and sexual relationships.
• Exploration of their sense of identity as well as beliefs and values is common.
Some teens want to fit in with their peers while others want to assert their individuality.
Ages 18 to 24: Late Adolescence
Physical Development
During late adolescence, physical development has been completed for most young people.
Most people have grown to their full adult heights. Mental & Emotional Development
The brain is completing its development during late adolescence.
However, the frontal lobe will not fully develop until around age 25.
That’s why some people consider late adolescence to be ages 18 to 24.
• Young people in this age range usually have better impulse control and decision-making skills than in middle adolescence.
Risks and rewards are more accurately evaluated.
• There is a stronger sense of identity in older adolescents.
• Values and beliefs are often solidified during this stage.
• Independence increases as many young adults separate from their parents to live outside their childhood homes.
• Established relationships with parents, siblings, and other family members may change in nature now that adulthood has nearly been reached.
• Thoughts may turn to the future and decisions may be based on their beliefs, desires, and hopes.

Meet Karonna Funderburg!

November 23, 2021

#PeopleofTheYunion We wanted to take a moment to honor one of our team members; meet Karonna Funderburg! Karonna has served as a Lead Workforce Development Case Manager for the Yunion since 2019. Karonna has over 16 years of youth and community-centered leadership experience as well…

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SWAG (Students With Awareness & Goals) is Back!

November 13, 2021

SWAG (Students With Awareness & Goals) is in session! We’re super happy to be alongside our school partners as we announce we are back! We’ve been in a virtual setting for the past year and a half it feels so good to be back in…

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The Bullying Must End

November 12, 2021

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“Dads on Duty”

November 11, 2021

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November 9, 2021

“𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵.”⁣ ⁣ Parents, our children get more from us than just our genetics! They get their values and priorities, which are taught from us. ⁣ ⁣ We have to show them what to…

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Youth Advisory Design Team (YADT)

November 2, 2021

🔊 𝘚𝘏𝘖𝘜𝘛 𝘖𝘜𝘛 𝘛𝘐𝘔𝘌!⁣ ⁣ We are so proud of our 8 Youth Advisory Design Team (YADT) members who presented their final ideas for the Yunion’s multi-purpose and music spaces!⁣ ⁣ These students had to apply design thinking, project management skills, budgeting and interior design…

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“SKIT UP KIDS”

October 30, 2021

Ending the week with a #FridayFunny! 🤣 Parents, as we are in Homecoming season and in the midst of fall sports season, chime in if you can relate! 🎥: @robertwilliamsfilms “SKIT UP KIDS” A parody of @gangstarr song “JUST TO GET A REP” #teenagerstyle #teenagermemes…

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It’s Throwback Thursday!

October 29, 2021

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Almost All Young People See Bullying Happen at Some Point

October 27, 2021

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Bullying Prevention Film “Sticks & Stones”

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As we are nearing the end of October, which is Bullying Awareness month, it was only right for us to premiere our Bullying Prevention film “Sticks & Stones”. Here is a highlight from our premiere, where we showed the film and had a panel to…

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Sticks and Stones Film Premiere!

October 20, 2021

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Sticks and Stones film premiere! We had an amazing time and are so glad to have shared this moment with you! Here are some photos from the night for you to enjoy. Stay tuned for more…

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“Sticks and Stones”

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