Article 23: The Psychological Causes and Coping Strategies of Childhood Rebellion and Juvenile Sexual Offenses

4. Two periods of resistance in children

There are two important periods in a child's psychological development during which they exhibit a clear tendency to rebel. The first occurs between 3 and 4 years old, when a child's self-awareness begins to emerge. They want to do everything themselves and don't want their parents to interfere. For example, they want to eat by themselves, dress themselves, and walk independently. Even normally docile and obedient children may become irritable, disobedient, and mischievous at this time. This first period of rebellion usually passes smoothly, and parents don't need to worry too much.

The second occurrence is between 12 and 15 years old. Children transition from elementary to middle school, experiencing dramatic physical and psychological changes. These changes manifest as an increased sense of adulthood and independence, a need to understand and shape themselves, and emotional "lockdown." Adolescents realize from these physical changes that they are no longer children but adults, and therefore become annoyed by their parents' constant nagging and over-involvement. They often like to express their own opinions and act according to their own will, not only being less receptive to their parents' words but sometimes even intentionally or unintentionally contradicting them, or deliberately going against their parents.

After entering middle school, children begin to focus their attention and interests on themselves, examining everything from their appearance and personality traits to their inner world, which is often difficult for others to perceive. They often idolize figures such as movie stars, sports stars, and singers. Elementary school children tend to confide in their parents about everything, their emotions readily apparent on their faces. By adolescence, with improved language and cognitive abilities, their capacity for emotional control also increases significantly; children begin to learn how to appropriately express and manage their feelings.

If parents ignore these physiological and psychological changes in their children, their relationship will become distant, and conflicts may even arise.

First, parents should adapt to their children's physical and psychological development, gradually changing their parenting methods and avoiding the overprotective, parenting style often used for infants and toddlers. Second, they should respect their children's independence, giving them a degree of autonomy, and engaging in equal and consultative conversations with them. If a child is stubborn, parents should patiently educate them, avoiding commands, scolding, or using harsh or forceful methods; a domineering approach is strictly prohibited. Parents should frequently talk to their children, becoming their confidants, understanding their inner world, and adopting a warm, caring attitude and gentle tone. In this way, children will feel that their parents are their confidants and most trustworthy people, fostering genuine communication between parents and children, making it easier for children to accept education and guidance.

When faced with a child's resistance, it is crucial to avoid resorting to suppression. A harsh approach without understanding the situation often leads to stronger resistance and the formation of a negative character foundation. Instead, a wiser approach is to adopt a strategy of retreating while the child resists, temporarily yielding to their demands, and then persuading and guiding them through this period of resistance.

5. Juvenile sexual offenses

reason

There are several main reasons why sexual offenses occur during adolescence:

The onset of sexual desire: After children enter puberty, the maturation of their sex organs and changes in endocrine function lead to the emergence of sexual desire. Many studies have found that sexual development in modern adolescents is trending towards earlier onset. Improved nutrition and increased emphasis on physical exercise have accelerated the physical development of teenagers, inevitably leading to earlier maturation of their sex organs. Furthermore, the rapid increase in sexual stimulation in mass media in recent years has further contributed to "precocious puberty" in some teenagers. They experience strong sexual awareness and urges, putting them into a dangerous "accident-prone period" prematurely.

Their psychological development is still immature: Adolescents have very active minds and increasingly rich emotions. They are sensitive and curious, easily impulsive, lack the ability to distinguish right from wrong, and are easily influenced by external factors. Due to their lack of experience in the world, they are easily deceived and exploited by those with ulterior motives. Therefore, they are prone to committing "ignorant" and "impulsive" sexual crimes.

The impact of negative social trends: In recent years, decadent ideas such as sexual liberation and sexual freedom have occupied and eroded the minds of some people. Some people sell pornographic publications to teenagers for profit, and the proliferation of pornography on the internet has caused great harm to teenagers with poor discernment.

Inadequate sex education: my country still lacks a comprehensive and scientific system for sex education. When discussing human reproductive functions, teachers often speak vaguely and only briefly. Students cannot obtain knowledge about sexual physiology and morality through normal channels. Much of their sex education comes from pornography. This lack of positive educational guidance exacerbates the problem.

How to prevent sexual offenses

Strengthening education on worldview: It is essential to help teenagers establish a correct worldview and overcome the mindset of simply pursuing pleasure. Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to youth, and also a period of forming one's worldview. Establishing a correct worldview and holding the right attitude towards oneself and others enables one to have a broader perspective, observe and analyze objective things correctly, handle matters calmly and prudently, and prevent impulsiveness and being deceived.

Strengthening sex education: We must enhance sex education and moral education, using real-life examples and vivid explanations to teach students how to properly handle the relationship between romantic love and friendship. We should guide students to control their emotional impulses and expand their understanding of love beyond mere sexual intimacy to include love for the community, society, and nature. Sex education must employ scientific methods; expert guidance may be sought when necessary, and the program should be implemented by specially trained teachers using specialized teaching materials. This work must be carried out cautiously and systematically, avoiding a hasty or rushed approach to prevent adverse side effects.

Preventing the Corruption of Pornographic Publications: Adolescents' psychological development is still incomplete; they are curious and eager to explore new things. These characteristics make them vulnerable to becoming victims of pornographic publications. Surveys show that the vast majority of students' sex education comes not from normal educational channels, but from pornographic films, books, and magazines. Some children watch these out of curiosity and a sense of novelty, and blindly pursue and try them. Many teenagers who commit sexual offenses begin by watching pornographic videos and DVDs; some girls who drop out of school and engage in prostitution are also often linked to viewing pornographic publications. Therefore, a proactive approach to preventing the harmful effects of pornographic publications on children and adolescents is to strengthen anti-pornography efforts.

Strengthen legal education: We must enhance students' legal and moral awareness, make them understand the harm that sexual misconduct brings to individuals and society, and nip sexual misconduct in the bud among teenagers.