From children to pre-adolescents, at what age does this leap occur?

BarcelonaPreadolescence is a stage that, depending on each individual's developmental level, typically extends from 10 to 13 years of age. Therefore, at age 12, they are immersed in a period of change, especially on a psychological and sexual level. While we cannot yet consider young people of this age to be adolescents, we can still refer to them as such. older children That wouldn't be the most appropriate term because, as Núria Casanovas, a child and adolescent psychologist and vice president of the Social Intervention Psychology Section of the Official College of Psychologists of Catalonia, explains, they no longer have a child's brain: "they are in the midst of a transition."

What characterizes children of this age in the social sphere?

At age 12, children begin to worry about their social identity, which they start to construct at this point. "This means that if they have social conflicts, with friends, for example, it triggers deeper anxieties related to this relationship and the search for their role within the group," says Casanovas. It's also when they begin to feel that their parents no longer understand them and to seek out their own interests and role models.

What physical and psychological changes are they making at that moment?

At this point, it's important to remember that not everyone is at the same stage of development, and some seem older while others appear younger. "Their brains are undergoing remodeling. You know when you think your teenager's head is empty? Well, that's exactly what it is. Their senses are rebelling, neurons and neural connections are dying. Whether they do things intentionally or because they're indifferent, it has a neurological basis." Casanovas also points out that the changes their brains are undergoing are "exacerbated" by hormonal and physical changes, which are "quite radical and complex." Regarding the physical changes, the concerns they often have are significant. "Some, at that age, already want to be a man or a woman, while others feel very self-conscious because, in a short time, their child's body disappears quite rapidly."

Have the stages of children's growth and maturation accelerated?

"I think so, but I suppose it's multifactorial," says Casanovas. He explains that many years ago, you went from being a child to an adult suddenly, mainly due to the responsibilities placed upon you. This still happens in many countries, but this early onset of pre-adolescence, in countries like ours, is a reality and has several causes, some of which have accelerated it in recent years. "Excessive screen time can greatly influence the changes that occur in their brains at these ages, as it increases the stimulation that affects the emotional area. This could mean that the brain is changing prematurely."

How can parents manage this pre-adolescence?

Casanovas advises families to be patient and understand that these are processes their children must go through. "We must understand that getting angry won't help much. They develop at different paces, and we must prepare ourselves for this negotiation that we will have to do later on in a more direct and clear way." In any case, Casanovas reminds us that it's very good for them to feel understood and supported, but also that they need to find certain limits so they don't think they can do whatever they want.