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Zach Rhoads

Dr. Amy Lewis

Tweens and Teens section 011

30 September 2018

The Challenges of Growing Up (The Middle School Mind: Growing Pains in Early Adolescent

Brains)

What do you think of when someone asks you about middle school? Do you think about

the many times you embarrassed yourself in-front of your classmates and teachers? Do you think

about the seemingly four to five inches you grew overnight or the hundreds of pimples that

invaded your face? Some people might think of these examples if asked about their middle

school days; but no one experiences the same challenges they face during middle school years

which is commonly referred as adolescentes. Adolescents starts around age 12 and last till the

mid-twenties. Adolescent accounts for the time spent in middle school, high school, and most

times all of college. With adolescents comes a multitude of challenges that teenagers how to face

and overcome. In their book The Middle School Mind: Growing Pains in Early Adolescent

Brains Richard Marshall and Sharon Neuman discuss the stages and changes adolescents

experience with an emphasis on the changes during puberty. Puberty is hardest for an adolescent

to overcome; and to adolescents, it seems like puberty last longer than it actually does. Along

with the pressure of middle school and early high school, adolescents have to deal with major

physically unexpected changes to their bodies and the release of hormones that send adolescents

down a daily rollercoaster of emotions.

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Puberty develops at different ages in all adolescents. Most experience puberty between

the ages of 12 and 14. Although some will hit puberty earlier or later in their life. Some public

schools have classes that teach adolescents about puberty and the changes that are taking place in

there bodies. Often times children do not understand the magnitude of the changes that will

happen to them. They do not quite understand the extent of their physical growth and the

awkwardness that comes with puberty. All the kids know is that they have to sit through a class

with a teacher they probably do not know and learn about a subject that seems “yucky” to them

so they won't pay attention. Then one day little Johnny isn't so little anymore, because he grew

six inches overnight and his voice seems to boom in the classroom. The bodily changes can be

compared to those of the Hulk. When something makes the heart of Bruce Banner accelerate, he

transforms into the Hulk with superhuman strength and an increase in height and weight

(Marshall and Neuman chapter two “A Set of Transitions”). Coupled with the physical changes

are the social changes. Little Johnny that grew six inches is now the talking point of the school.

His classmates criticize him for his tall lanky body how unusually sweaty he gets after gym

class. Boys start growing hair and are picked on for looking like “bigfoot” and they develop a

strong body odor. Girls that hit puberty early are faced with with the same challenges. Her

classmates pick on her because of her development of breasts and almost “slute” shamed for it

eventhough she may not be sexually active at all. Through no fault of their own, the early

bloomers are ostracized by their classmates.

The children hit puberty earlier than the rest of their classmates are seen as more mature

by their teachers, but almost like a freakshow to their classmates. Girls that bloom earlier are

more subjectivized because of their bodies. Boys are more attracted to them then other girls

making the girls that didn’t hit puberty jealous and spiteful to the girls that are going through
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puberty. The tension caused by the attraction of boys can be detrimental to the girls relationships

with the girls that haven’t gone through puberty. The spitefulness could even last through high

school affecting the girls friendships and relationships with other classmates. If physical changes

weren't enough for adolescents to worry about, changes in daily emotions can be even worse.

During puberty, multiple hormones are released that cause a desire for sexaul activity,

episodes of anger or joy, and mood swings that could change at any moment. “Though we are

all capable of letting our emotions get the better of us, teenagers are especially vulnerable. The

reason is simple. With the onset of puberty, their brains begin to produce and release new

chemicals, including steroid hormones (Marshall and Neuman chapter 3 “The Adolescent

Paradox”). Adolescents exaggerate their emotions greatly. When an adolescent says they are

gonna die if they don’t get the new version of the phone they have, they really mean that. They

really believe that if they don’t get that new phone their world will end. The same can be applied

for the attraction to another classmate. For example, a middle schooler could be so “in love” with

their boy/girlfriend that they talk about marrying them.

Levels of testosterone for boys and estrogen for girls are increased during puberty.

Testosterone increases boys strength, energy, and sexual desire. Testosterone also sparks to

growth of pubic hair, a deeper voice and increased oils in the skin. Estrogen is the female sex

hormone that develops the reproductive system, breasts, and pubic hair. “The most radical

change is that we now see the adolescent years as a distinct period of human development. That

adolescence coincides with puberty is not surprising inasmuch as the hormonal changes

associated with puberty are what sculpt the adolescent brain (Marshall and Neuman chapter 4

“An Increasingly Differentiated (I.E, Independent) Self”). Hormones released during puberty are
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extremely crucial in the development of an adolescent. Without the hormones, the brain does not

get a chance to grow and develop.

Each adolescent is different and along with their development brings its own unique set

of challenges to overcome. Most adolescents can make it through puberty without any permanent

damage to their body or mental state. Unfortunately some adolescents do not have the same safe

development as other kids. When dealing with adolescents, adults mustn't forget about the

changes the adolescent is going through. If it isn't growth in height or weight, it’s mental changes

and releases of new hormones. Adolescents is a very difficult time in a child's life and parents

and adults must try their best to show support and encouragement to the children in the

developmental stages of adolescents.

References
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“The Middle School Mind: Growing Pains in Early Adolescent Brains.” Amazon,

Amazon, www.amazon.com/Middle-School-Mind-Growing-Adolescent/dp/1610485858.