• Physical changes in adolescent

◦Is a stage of development between

childhood and adulthood when a person is
biologically adult
◦Emotionally not fully mature ◦From the age of 13 to 19 are called
teenagers bc their age ends in teen in
English
◦During puberty , most children go through
dramatic physical changes which often begin the age of nine - girls usually earlier
‣ Changes which distinguish the two sexes - boys grow facial hair and their voices deepen, girls
breasts enlarge and their hips widen
• Mental changes in adolescents
◦Much more intensive emotional life ◦Often feel unstable and look for security -
love and friendship become the most
important values
◦Often search for their own unique identity ◦Eating disorders - vomiting in secret ,
obsession w weight , rapid weight loss, overeat an afterwards they vomit up everything in order to
be satisfied that they have eaten something but at the same time

without putting on weight

• idols vs.authorities
◦Celebrities become role models for them ◦Often obsessed with their appearance -
follow fashion trends closely and always
want to be ‘in’.
◦They want to be different
◦Don’t trust the authorities and tend to risk
more
◦Under pressure bc of school
• adulthood - social phenomenon
◦Struggle to fit in with society ◦Unemployment - problems in obtaining jobs
-> causes financial worries and frustration ◦Unstable emotions or a lack of emotional
intelligence may also lead to juvenile crime - vandalism and violance commited by this age group ->
racial prejudices regularly provoke conflicts in many countries
◦Addiction to alcohol or drugs , is another consequence of frustration
◦Age of majority - the age at which a person has full legal rights -> in each country there are different
age limits for driving or getting married
‣ In Slovakia when turns 18 considered

to be responsible for their actions and

they are eligible to vote
‣ Marriage under 18 must be approved
by a court and with parental consent
‣ You can adopt a child
• generation gap
◦This age of revolt often leads to conflicts
between the generation
◦They think that their parents care too much
and are overprotective , children often have
different life expectations than their parents ◦All this creates tension between parents and
their children
◦Different experiences,opinions,habits and
behavior
◦Not keeping agreements
• Characteristic features of young people
◦ young people like to dress nicely – they like
to wear brand name clothing
◦They like being fit and attractive – girls want
to be slim and boys want to look fit and have strong muscles – that’s why boys often go to the fitness
centre and girls are often on diets because they want to loose weight.
◦Young people like nice hairstyles – they dye

their hair and use a lot of cosmetics like for example make-up, gel, mousse, face creams, after-shave
and so on. They also like to have piercing and tattoos.
• Character
◦Young people like to be independent and
respected - they know what they want from
life and they like freedom.
◦They don’t like criticism and they don’t like
to be told what to do.
◦They have their dreams and plans for future. ◦They like their friends and they like
spending time with them => love and
friendship is very important to them.
◦On the other hand , some young people are
nowadays very cheeky, rude and impolite and they don’t care about other people. Sometimes they
are lazy – they don’t help other people.
• Life style
◦They want their life to be interesting and
exciting => they like to live fast.
◦ In the developed world, young people are
usually well-educated, experienced and self-confident. They know their goals and try to reach them.
They are often

hardworking and they have many opportunities to study or work abroad – they often travel to
foreign countries to learn a foreign language, earn money and gain experience.
◦ But sometimes it is difficult for them to find a job because they don’t have enough work experience
when they finish school and because there are few job opportunities in Slovakia => they can’t afford
to buy their own flat or start a family.
◦Many young people today start their own families later in life than their parents did. They want to
work on their career first and get married later. Young families are different nowadays. In modern
families they share chores, husbands help at home more or sometimes stay on a maternity leave if
his wife earns more money.
Advantages and disadvantages of being young • Being young has many advantages:
◦ You have all your life ahead of you, you can make plans and decide what you want to do in the
future
◦If you want to, you can travel abroad, find a

job or study
◦You don’t have to think about your children
because you don’t have any ◦You have your freedom
• Being young can also have some disadvantages. For example:
◦it is more difficult to find a job because you don’t have enough experience
◦if you study and go to school, you don’t have your own money – you are dependent on your parents
and family
◦You can’t buy your own flat, house or what you want because you don’t have your own money
◦Older people don’t unders