Parents have the most important role in positive youth development.
However, parents are often overwhelmed with the duties before them. I'm sure parents worry about the world in which their children are growing up in. We want children to be successful and have a bright future but, many times, we're frightened with the future and feel alone in our efforts to grow positive you people. We're unsure of what our young people need. Based on research on successful community-based programs, and on an extensive review of literature, the Center for Early Adolescence concluded that there are seven key developmental needs that characterize early adolescence.