ABSTRACT
The 11 to 16 age group is socially defined by attendance at secondary school or its equivalent. For the young people themselves, it will be characterized by the physical and emotional changes of puberty and adolescence. When parents point out the dangers of predatory older teenagers, alcohol, drugs, and sex, teenagers protest that they are being treated like children. Parents somehow have to maintain a close, warm engagement with their teenagers, while setting firm, clear limits on what is allowed. Some teenagers, or even younger children, will have additional challenges to face, which serve to confuse and distort their early understanding of their own and others' sexuality. However, sometimes adolescent experimentation may be mistaken for abuse, with two young people enjoying the same adventures as other teenagers; perhaps learning disabled young people are more likely to be found out.
