Myth: Adolescence is transitional
What young people experience in the here and now is felt more intensely, perhaps, than at any other time in their lives. Calling this period transitional implies that they (and we) might find it best to just "wait it out." All stages of life are marked by growth and change. Adolescents do not feel transitional. The needs they experience are very real, and they deserve to be addressed.

Myth: Young adolescents are children
Young adolescence is a distinct stage of life. To consider adolescents as children is to discount their emerging physical, social and intellectual maturity. Adolescents can accept a growing increment of responsibility and be expected to be increasingly accountable for their actions.

Myth: All young adolescents are alike
Actually, there is no age group that displays more variability. There may be a six-year span (in biological development alone) between a quickly developing girl and a slowly developing boy. In addition, we must consider social, emotional, intellectual and academic rates of development, each of which are on individual "time clocks." To be told that someone is 13 is to be told nothing about that person, except perhaps grade level in school.

Myth: Growth and development are predictable
In addition to the high degree of variability in development among adolescents, there is also uneven development in the various areas of growth within each individual. Biological, social, emotional and intellectual growth are not synchronized. Early physical development does not necessarily indicate proportionate emotional or social development, just as slower physical growth is not a sign of emotional or social immaturity.

Myth: Adolescence is pathological
In fact, most adolescents cope with their remarkable changes and growing spurts with the same degree of success that most adults cope with day-to-day changes and experiences. Approximately the same number of adolescents as adults (one in five) show signs of serious disturbance.

Myth: Peer pressure is an all-powerful, negative force
While the peer group can be a source of negative influence in some situations, involvement with friends is both necessary and "growthful." Peers do become more influential during young adolescence, but do not outweigh the influence of parents. When asked where they would turn for help and guidance on a variety of topics, young adolescents named parents more than peers.

Myth: Religion is not important to young adolescents
According recent studies, nine of 10 young people believe in the existence of God and the divinity of Jesus. About 40% of them describe themselves as committed Christians. The lack of attendance and participation in churches cannot be written off entirely as a lack of belief. Adolescent believing is directly related to belonging. The lack of attendance points to larger membership issues for the church.

Myth: Young adolescents reject family values
What young adolescents become and how they behave are strongly tied to life at home. Family closeness, parental margins, parental affection, are all sought after by young adolescents. Young adolescence is an age of affiliations.

We are entangled in stereotypes about young people, stereotypes so negative that we would find them offensive were they racial, religious or ethnic. Age stereotyping of the young does not offend our sensibilities; it co-opts our sensibilities and blinds us to the realities of adolescence.

One way to de-mythologize adolescence is to get to know the particular young people in your community. Ask them to fill out an information card. See the sample in the RESOURCES section. Make sure you are clear with them on how the information will be used and who will read it. This information can inform you about the interests and the culture of the young people with whom you work. It can serve as a basis for programming as well as a beginning of many friendship.