Empowering Against Early Marriage

 The period of transition

between child and adult
 Any persons ages between 10-
19
 Equivalent to the word teens
 Also to puberty
ADOSLESCENT IS…
 When a child’s body begins to develop and change as
they become an adult
 Pysiological changes and achievent of fertility
 Girls develop breasts and start their periods.
 Boys develop a deep voice and facial hair will start to
appear
 11 years for girls and 12 for boys
 But, it is different to everyone

PUBERTY IS…………
 Accompanies physical changes
 The way you respond to your friends and families
 The way you views his self and herself
 Self-conscious
 Mood swings
 Anxiety
 Role Confusion
 Learns about her own interests and goals
 Relate to others in more mature way
 Seek for peers

EMOTIONAL CHANGES……….
 unprotected sexual activity
 sexting and other risky uses of social media
 tobacco smoking, alcohol use and binge-drinking
 illegal substance use
 dangerous driving
 illegal activities like trespassing or vandalism
 fighting
 Truancy
 Bullying

COMMON BEHAVIOR
 The first step in managing emotions associated with any type of
life change is simply to give yourself permission to experience the
emotion so it can run its course. Transitions, like graduation, seem
to be entirely positive to onlookers but may trigger feelings of fear
and anxiety for a graduate. The reality of entering a new chapter of
independence can be profoundly daunting. Whether it is a change
of schools or the breakup of a significant relationship, change can
bring out feelings of anger, rejection, and abandonment.
Encourage your teen to share their feelings through journaling,
talking to a therapist or supportive friends to help process the full
range of difficult emotions.

1. ACKNOWLEDGE EMOTIONS
 Some of the most trying circumstances in life make us
wish we could hide away in safety until the threat has
vanished. Remind your teen it’s okay not to have all the
answers to every question or to know how every detail
will play out. Remembering what’s important—
faith, family, friends, creative expression—is a powerful
shield against whatever negative emotions threaten to
arise. Ask them to list their values and help them to help
the keep this life-change in the right context.

2. FOCUS ON VALUES
 Studies have shown that people who experience new
life events—new schools, new relationships, or new
jobs—experience some level of anxiety, even if the
change was desired. Reflect with your teen on a time
when they faced a significant change and
successfully managed it, despite experiencing some
initial fear. “Do you recall how terrified you were to
start middle school?” Sometimes unfamiliar events
are not as scary as they seem initially and may
simply require a little time to adjust.

3. REFLECT BACK
 We create our own realities in the way we process our thoughts
and emotions and through the narratives we tell ourselves. Point
out that changes, whether expected or unexpected, are part of the
human experience and are opportunities for growth. Rather than
be consumed with what was lost, consider potential gains. How
can this new situation be a benefit? For example, if they’ve
recently moved to a different school or city, help them see it as an
opportunity to re-invent themselves. Help them learn to make the
best of new situations. They may eventually view the life change
as beneficial to their personal growth and life story.

4. SHIFT PERSPECTIVES
 Despite our best efforts and carefully executed plans, life
often doesn’t go the way in which we intended. In fact, life
can be stressful, and often disappointing. Instead of allowing
frustration and self-doubt to take root, encourage your teen to
offer themselves compassion. Researcher Dr. Kristin Neff
explains how to show yourself self-compassion. If you are
confronted with a painful experience, instead of ignoring
your pain or chastising yourself, Dr. Neff recommends
reminding yourself, “This is difficult right now, how can I
comfort and care for myself in this moment?” Self-
compassionate individuals offer kindness to themselves and
others rather than judgment and harsh critiques.

5. BE SELF-COMPASSIONATE