CO-AUTHOR: MARIE-ÈVE CARON FROM SANTÉFAMILLE

Adolescence is often perceived as a time of tumultuous change, marked by mood swings and unpredictable or impulsive behaviour. The biological and physical transformations of puberty are intertwined with behavioral and social transformations: young people may start eating or sleeping more or less, act more emotionally and test boundaries at times. These changes are often blamed on the “terrible teens” or hormones.

“They’re going through the terrible teens. All you can do is be patient.”
“That’s it, the terrible teens have begun!”
“It’s just adolescence… It’ll pass.”

When faced with changes in a young person’s behaviour, adults or parents readily resort to this expression, often underscored by a resigned sigh, as if this time were an inevitable passage from childhood to adulthood. This commonly accepted trope casts this period of life in a negative light and oversimplifies what is, in fact, a complex reality.

It’s important to remember that most teens go through adolescence without experiencing a crisis. It would therefore be more appropriate to refer to it as the “adolescent period.”

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT TEENS THROUGH THE ADOLESCENT PERIOD?

🤝Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, teachers, caregivers, coaches and health professionals together make up a wide safety net* for teens. This means each one of us has a role to play in helping them transition through this time in a positive manner and intervene effectively when challenges arise.

*The safety net represents any adult who may exert an influence on a teen’s life (teacher, direct parent, family member, coach, etc.). Informally it refers to any person in the teen’s life, outside of the teen’s close circle, who has a duty of protection.

🤸‍♀️ Giving young people the space to safely discover and explore all these new opportunities is essential to their ability to develop in a healthy way.

💙 Let’s be present, attentive, curious, ready to engage in non-judgmental, caring conversations in order to create a bond of trust and support them through these turbulent years.

Discover our tips for supporting young people as they develop their autonomy 👉 in this article.

Adolescence is full of decisions involving lifestyle habits, choosing friends, balancing fun and homework, deciding on an academic path, using social media, trying different substances for the first time, and so on. Discover our advice to help young people make informed choices 👉 in this article.