When kids reach puberty, they're known to break down in tears in front of the mirror and spend days shopping in stores in search of the right look.
There's usually not much parents can do other than shake their heads when appearance suddenly becomes the number-one obsession of their teenagers. Experts say this is as much a part of growing up for a child as their first kiss, and parents should let things run their natural course.
“Questions such as ‘Am I pretty?’ are part of a young person's discovery of their identity,” said Andreas Engel, a psychologist in Hof, Germany.
Often young people are looking for a style of dress that gives them the feeling they belong to a particular group. On the other hand, young teenagers want to try out different things, said Rainer Schuetz of Germany's parents' hotline.
Young people hitting puberty also have to deal with a lot of changes in their bodies. When parents notice their child is putting on weight or breaking out in pimples, they shouldn't just ignore it.
For girls in particular, body weight is a sensitive subject. Experts agree that if parents notice any eating irregularity, they should talk to a doctor or psychologist.
“Girls compare themselves constantly with other girls,” said psychologist Christiane Papastefanou. If parents notice that their daughter has developed an obsession over the thinness of her friends, they should talk with the other parents. Parents have a responsibility to talk with their children when it comes to having respect for their bodies, said Engel. (DPA)
孩童進入青春期時，會在鏡子前放聲大哭，花好幾天時間逛街購物，尋找對味的裝扮。
當外表突然成為青少年最在意的事時，父母往往除了搖頭之外無可奈何。專家表示，如同初吻一樣，這是孩童成長重要的一部分，父母應該以平常心看待。
德國霍夫的心理學家安德烈．英格爾說︰「像是『我漂亮嗎』等問題，都是青少年探索自我認同的一部分。」
1. puberty n.
青春期 (qing1 chun1 qi2)
例: It can be hard to control your emotions during puberty.
(青春期時，很難控制自己情緒。)
2. obsession n.
著迷 (zhao2 mi2)
例: I enjoy comic books, but for Larry they're an obsession.
(我喜歡漫畫書，但賴瑞已到痴迷的地步。)
3. identity n.
身分 (shen1 fen4)，認同 (ren4 tong2)
例: My family's history is an important part of my identity.
(我家族的歷史是我身分的重要一環。)
4. irregularity n.
不規則 (bu4 gui1 ze2)
例：Kids can be mean. They often make fun of any irregularities they notice, even though those are what make life fun.
(小孩子可能心眼不好。他們經常嘲笑所注意到的不尋常事物，即使是讓生活增添趣味的事也是。)
青少年通常會尋找讓他們對特定群體有歸屬感的衣著風格。但另外一方面，德國父母諮詢專線的雷納．蘇維茲表示，青少年也希望嘗試不同事物。
青春期的年輕人也必須應付身體諸多變化。父母注意到孩子變胖或長出青春痘時，不該只是忽視。
尤其對女孩子來說，體重是個敏感話題。專家同意，假如父母注意到任何飲食不正常的情況，應該諮詢醫師或心理學家。
心理學家克莉絲汀安．帕帕史坦范諾說︰「女孩子往往會拿自己與其他女孩比較。」假如父母注意到自己女兒開始很在意朋友的苗條，應該與其他父母討論。英格爾表示，父母有責任與孩子談談尊重自己身體。 （德通社/翻譯：賴美君）
RSS