Cognitive and social development at age 13
If you have a 13-year-old child, don’t miss out on everything you need to know about their cognitive and social development, which is essential for their growth!
Development at age 13 is very important as boys and girls are moving out of their pre-teens and into their teens. In this sense, it is very important that parents understand that social and cognitive development must be taken into account to enhance their overall development.
Index
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
As 13-year-olds want more independence from their parents, they trust friends more. They trust their peers more and want to spend more time with friends than with family. Peer pressure can be a problem as teens often want to experience a sense of belonging. They change peer groups throughout adolescence as their interests change … and this is completely normal.
Rebellious behavior is sometimes common during the teenage years. A teenager can develop different personalities or go through several phases. Sometimes teens try to surprise their parents or want to dress or put their hair differently as new ways of expressing themselves. Dating and romantic relationships are often important during the early teenage years. It is normal for adolescents to develop sexual interests and in this sense parents should be their best guides.
Parents at this age must be very specific when discussing sensitive topics such as drinking, smoking, drug use, or sexual intercourse. In order for teens to feel that you are credible, you will have to recognize the advantage of these behaviors in the short term, but then the consequences are very bad. Like being funny when you drink alcohol but in reality it is ridiculous and the health consequences can be extremely serious.
The game
While most 13-year-olds have given up on their childhood toys, they still play with their friends in various ways. From sleepovers and backyard camping to board games and sports activities, most 13-year-olds want to be active with their friends. Having fun with your peers can be an important social outing. It can also be instrumental in helping your teen manage stress.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
While 13-year-olds have pretty good problem-solving skills, they also have a hard time thinking ahead. They may have a hard time thinking about the consequences of their behavior before acting . This has to do with different parts of your brain developing at slightly different rates.
It’s common for 13-year-olds to think they are immune to anything that happens to them. As a result, they are more likely to engage in risky behavior. 13-year-olds develop the ability to think abstractly. Instead of just thinking in terms of tangible objects, they begin to understand concepts like faith and trust. They may also think that they are unique or that they are alone in the world and think that no one understands them. As they mature, they begin to develop a better understanding of the world and how other people perceive them.
Communication
Most 13-year-olds communicate similarly to adults. They understand abstract language,like figurative language and metaphors. they can become less literal and more figurative. They can worry about moral problems, since they are able to understand abstract concepts. They are likely to recognize that breaking the rules under certain conditions is not always wrong.
It is important to talk to teens about all the ways you might solve a problem. Encourage your child to think of several solutions to a problem before acting on it. This can improve your child’s judgment and give him opportunities to practice his critical thinking skills.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.
