The sudden force of a teenager’s feelings can catch parents off guard because, between the ages of six and 11, children go through a phase of development that psychologists call latency .
Compared to the brain activity of children and adults, the teens’ amygdalas reacted strongly to fearful or happy faces.
the brain remodels dramatically during the teenage years.
Adults often tell teens that their feelings are at full blast because of “hormones.” This usually doesn’t go over very well, plus it’s probably inaccurate.
research suggests that the impact of pubertal hormones on teenagers’ moods is indirect, at best.
Here’s the bottom line: What your daughter broadcasts matches what she actually experiences.
Really, it’s just that intense, so take her feelings seriously, regardless of how overblown they might seem.