Developmental Milestones and the Camp Experience: Age 14-16

Developmental Milestones

• Increase their hypothetical reasoning abilities
• Conduct increasing future planning
• Experience further sexual maturation and explore issues of sexual identity
• Exhibit greater complexity of moral reasoning, including abstract principles such as unselfishness and altruism
• Tend to rely increasingly on similarity of values and shared interests to form friendships
• Spend majority of time with friends, less time with parents
• Refine interests and aptitudes, gain proficiency in one or more activities

What's on Their Minds

• Describe themselves in more varied ways and struggle with the concept of a "real self"
• Express concern about identity—who they are and will become
• Develop feelings of sexual attraction and think about an appropriate person to love
• Rely on friendships and peers to affirm "who they are"
• Feel pressure to answer questions about their future

Building Parent-Child Relationships

• Express faith in young person's abilities
• Listen and try to understand
• Be a positive role model
• Respect their opinions
• Guide adolescents by openly discussing choices and consequences
• Spend pleasurable time together
• Respect their increasing need for privacy

Maximize the Camp Experience

• Select camp together by discussing important aspects to each of you
• Differentiate camp from school
• Look for camps that enhance self-esteem by providing opportunities for success in one or more activities that are important to your child
• Allow child to assume responsibility for camp preparation (e.g., help to shop for necessities, help to pack, help to complete registration forms)
• Consider longer camp stays as appropriate at this age
• Consider junior counselor or leadership training options for some camps/campers

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