My Development
Body Growth
The first outward sign of puberty is the rapid gain in higher and weight known as the growth spurt. Weigh gain is common in girls specifically from gains in body fat. During this time teens frequently sleep longer and later, may be clumsy, and sensitive about weight (specifically woman)
(Berk, 2013, p. 288)
From middle childhood to adolescence I only grew 4 inches (5th grade I was 5’0” and I’m currently 5’3”). I remember in 4th or 5th grade (9 years old), my dance teacher asked me how much I weighed and I remember telling her “72 pounds”. By high school I weighed between 110-125 pounds, typically around 115, so there was a big weight gain, but not a huge growth spurt. I remember in late middle childhood and early adolescence being more aware of the bodies of the other girls in my dance class and would compare myself to them. I remember a time when I would suck in my cheeks to look thinner, and hated how much my ribs stuck out because it looked like I had large breasts. This self-consciousness continued into high school and although it didn’t alter my eating patterns, my negative self-image was detrimental to my self-esteem at times.
Although I quit dance when I was 13 years old, I found other ways to engage in physical activity. Throughout high school I played on the girls tennis team and made an effort to exercise at the local YMCA several times a week. During this time I always walked home from school every day which was approximately 2 mile. During high school I also took an additional physical education class called “personal fitness” which helped me to understand and lean to exercise as the athlete (tennis player) I was. I believe the habits I engaged in during adolescence have paved the way for me to continue physical activities in adulthood. Although I don’t exercise as much as I would like, the drive to exercise and the enjoyment I get from it is still there because of the practices I engaged in during high school.
Puberty brings steady improvements in gross- motor performance but changes different from boys and girls. Girls’ gains are slow and gradual and level off by 14. At this time sports and exercise influence cognition and social development, providing lessons in teamwork, problem solving, assertiveness, and competition. Regular sustained physical activity is associated with lasting physical and mental health benefits but is found to decline with age.
(Berk, 2013, p. 289-290)
My Development
Physical Development
My Development
A common believe is that puberty has something to do with adolescent moodiness and the desire for greater physical and psychological distance from parents
(Berk, 2013, p. 289-290)
Moodiness: Higher pubertal hormone levels are linked to greater moodiness but only modestly. Moodiness is related to the negative life events such as conflicts with their parents, school, and breaking up with a boyfriend. Fortunately the negative mood levels off in late adolescence.
Timing: Early maturing girls are often unpopular, withdrawn, lacking in self-confidence, anxious, and prone to depression . Later maturing girls however are regarded as physically attractive, lively, sociable, and leaders at school.
(Berk, 2013, p. 293-294)
Moodiness: If I were to give one work to describe the majority of my time as an adolescent it would be “moody”. Although I believe that hormones played a role, I believe much of my moodiness came from having a sick father at home while also dealing with social, hormonal, and educational changes outside of the phone. When I was 14 years old my father was put into a nursing home because he was falling at home all the time due to his MS. Before he was put into the nursing home, he had to live downstairs, we had a portable toilet in our living room, and he was becoming increasingly disoriented. These stressors at home, especially in a time where I was trying to be as “cool” and “normal” as possible, made this time in my life extremely difficult to manage. I remember the week my father way put into a nursing home, my first real boyfriend broke up with me over our answering machine because he wanted to date one of my best friends. Managing the normal happenings of a teenager with a sick father likely increased my moodiness quite a bit.
Timing: I believe that my maturation was right about average with the rest of my friends. I was not the first to start maturing but I wasn’t the last. I never had a moment where I wished I would mature, and I never had a moment where I felt like I was maturing too quickly. The bigger issues came from my expectations of puberty and how they were not met by my body. Throughout junior high and high school I was often teased about how small my breasts were which only aided in the self-consciousness that adolescents experience regarding their body.
Motor Development & Physical Activity
Hormonal Changes