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How the 8th Grader Grows

Growth Patterns

How does your 13-year-old grow? With one-word answers and rude behavior? Or are collections of music, jewelry, and make-up taking over her room? Look below to find out about:

Physical

Kids this age have high physical energy.
Skin problems are emerging; hygiene is a key issue.
Girls: Reach 95 percent of mature height; menstruation has begun for most.
Boys: Voice change for many; growth spurt about a year behind girls.

Social

• Neatness is a key issue with personal appearance, but not with personal environment.
• The mirror is their best friend and worst enemy.
• Kids this age are often quieter than 12- or 14-year-olds.
• They like to be left alone at home.
• Their feelings are easily hurt and they can easily hurt other's feelings.
• Kids this age are often mean when they're scared.
• Close friendships are often more important to girls.
• Boys hang out in groups.
• Girls are more interested in older boys.
• Both genders have a strong interest in sports.
• Telephone, computer, video games, and other electronic diversions are a major time factor.
• Music is becoming a major preoccupation.
• Peer pressure increases regarding dress, language, music, in-out, being cool.
• Kids this age worry about school work.
• Their humor is highlighted by increasing sarcasm.
• Horseplay and practical jokes are still popular with boys.
• Girls enjoy collecting things (jewelry, make-up, tapes).

Language

• Kids this age give one word answers to questions.
• Street language/peer language is important.
• Their language can be extreme and voices can be loud.
• Kids this age are often rude.

Cognitive

• An eighth-grader's withdrawn and sensitive nature protects her developing self-concept and intellectual ideas that are not yet fully formed.
• Abstract reasoning and "formal operations" begin to come into play in some 13-year-olds.
• Kids this age take a tentative approach to difficult intellectual tasks; they're not willing to take big learning risks.
• They like to challenge intellectual, as well as social, authority.
  

From Yardsticks: Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14 by Chip Wood, © 1997 by Northeast Foundation for Children (800) 360-6332. All rights reserved as permitted under the US copyright Act of 1976. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.