- Ask a probing question.
- Share an insight from having read your colleague's posting.
- Offer and support an opinion.
- Validate an idea with your own experience.
- Expand on your colleague's posting.
Brandon Leigh Allbritton
The Adolescent stage of lifespan development occurs generally begins in the early teen years and extends into early, and in some cases, mid 20's. It is at this stage that an adolescent begins to develop their sense of self identity based upon the social roles apparent to them. This can be a very confusing process of trying to learn who they truly are. Most teens attempt to solve this dilemma by adopting the roles they feel most natural to them based upon the things they associate or observe in those closest to them such as parents or peers.
In the textbook on pg.203, the author lists 4 distinct peer groups often found in middle age to high school age kids, jocks, preps, geeks, goths. I can't say that I would have necessarily lumped myself into any one of those groups, though I have always found myself to have a pretty adaptive personality, and could relate to or fit in to relatively any group for the most part. However, I grew up in the rural midwest and for my high school years, I often identified most with the more "country" crowd.
However, as I've since come to know Christ, I have come to realize that our identity shouldn't be found or pursued in social or peer groups, or modeled after parents, but in Christ. We are made in the image of God, and as when we are born again, we are being conformed in to the image of Christ, and thus our identity should be found in Him. I believe that we should help our adolescent children understand this as early as possible. I don't believe that it is a natural and innocent occurrence to seek one's identity in the image of other flawed human beings or in social groups who identify one way or another, but is a result of the fallenness of sinful man. In discipling our children we should make it our aim from as early on in their lives as possible to teach them who they are according to God and His word.
My ReactionToyland, Joyland...
So, you started out like a baby giggling and playing around into adolescence, and then you opened up to more giving ways. However, Late Boomers never seem to have grown up, for real. Everyone wants love from Late Boomers, even older people. It's gotten to the point used as a social tool that it's caused me dysfunctionality. So, my question is if you were more like a kid before adolescence or 18? and your opening up was a time when you feel you lost or passed youth and enjoyed other things, like focusing on how to get attention? I know a lot of people call my interests in things "just" "sex" I feel, secretly sending that message to me. People need to replace that with "love."
I think you seem to be normal, like I a proud to be normal. You don't have weird problems. I don't feel I know you that well, though, even in what I'd think by reading your writing. You seem shy to admit it, like you're still a child.
In my experience, I should have posted this in my post too, I started out just trying to understand things and become who I want, like it seems Audrey Hepburn. I didn't become who I wanted until later.
You seem very religious and smart. It seems like your opinion supports popular opinion. I guess you just want to be a good citizen. Did you ever believe that people are all deserving and some just have problems you may have later? I also like a fight in me, I believe that [omitted] who have problems socially around you … that I blame the adults. I also relate to young people really and have things against them, too.