When your son is 12 years old: What you and your baby need to know

12 is the beginning of your son's big transitions. Baby is about to enter the teen years with an increasingly larger world. A 12-year-old boy's development is multifaceted, including physical, mental, emotional, and social development.

The 12-year-old boy's voice is getting lower and lower, sounding more and more like a man. Your baby will also start to grow facial and pubic hair. Puberty may be in full swing this year, but for some it will start a little earlier or later. This is the time when your son has body odor, grows in height and starts to become sexually aware. Everyone is different, so don't worry if your 12-year-old son is more or less mature than his peers.
Thanks to puberty, children pay more attention to their bodies, more focused on how they look and what they wear. 12-year-old boys may be interested in joining a gym or starting to exercise at home.
I also worry about what others think of me. This can change the way children act and show affection towards their parents, especially in front of their friends. The emotions of 12-year-old boys are as erratic as girls. You will see your child happy and sad, kind and rude, smart but lacking in confidence. Children may also feel more stressed as schoolwork becomes increasingly difficult. That's because your baby's brain is now capable of handling more complex thoughts. An expanded vocabulary helps children express their thoughts clearly in words. I'm questioning the value of family, seeing the line between right and wrong in a new way.
Parents may find their child more difficult to understand, because 12-year-old boys have begun to act more like adults, but lack life experience and decision-making skills. Sometimes you need a reminder that your child is still a 12-year-old.

Social life is gradually becoming more important to you. Children begin to feel pressure from peers. At the age of 12, it is important for children to feel belonging, which means more separation from parents and more attachment to friends. In regards to monitoring their children's use of electronic devices, many boys play online games, so please review the privacy settings and make sure personal information is not shared with other players.

Actually, parental love and acceptance are still very important to a 12-year-old son. Your child may pout and become self-centered, leading to many negative reactions and actions. Children need to know that parents just want to help them find their true selves.
Talk, ask, listen and be honest with your child. Especially when it comes to tobacco, alcohol, drugs and sex issues. Parents should know how their children know and think about these topics. Without denial or shame, instead, share the dangers and consequences of each, along with your own thoughts and feelings.
Be present in your child's life instead of fading away. Encourage if your child shows interest in a new sport or hobby. Praise your child as he strives to be better at home or at school. Set clear requirements for your child's grades, chores, and screen time. When there is a conflict, make a healthy argument by respecting your child's feelings and opinions. Remember, puberty is a time of severe mood swings. It's normal for your child to feel sad, as long as it's only for a short time. Depression lasts longer and occurs in many ways, including eating disorders and drug use.
Try to understand what is happening at your child's school. Meet your child's friends and chat with other parents. Continuously monitor your child's grades and academic performance, instead of just waiting to see the end of term report card. A low score could indicate something unusual, or your child simply needs to see an ophthalmologist for new glasses. It is important to understand and monitor the social media forms your son is using. Talk to your teen about how to present yourself online and how online profile history affects college applications, future jobs, and more. Remind a 12-year-old boy that when an image or content is shared, it can be used by the recipient in a variety of ways over which he or she has no control.

At the age of 12, parents need to pay more attention to their children, because at this stage the child develops strongly both mentally and physically.
If you realize that your child has psychological or physical development instability, you can choose for your child a general health checkup package - Vinmec International General Hospital to be directly checked by doctors. examine, examine and discuss with parents about their child's development in each stage.

Reference source: webmd.com