While it could be uncomfortable, talking to kids about puberty is a necessary discussion. To let kids know they are not alone in the changes happening within them, puberty education is important. A girl seeing her period for the first time, for instance, might be scared and understandably so, because it is foreign to her. This is why children should be adequately educated about puberty.
Parents should not shy away from talking to kids about puberty so that they can be put in order. Children experience various hormonal changes during the puberty stage, and caution has to be exercised when dealing with them. You need to create an atmosphere that makes sharing things with you comfortable for them, as information on the internet can be quite misleading.
Parenting Tips: Talking to Your Kids About Puberty
Start the conversation with confidence and calmness. Make sure the environment isn’t tense, ensuring it makes them comfortable. Once the environment is comfortable, the kids will feel safe to ask questions. In their questions, you get clues about their emotional health, their puberty phase, and any other general issue they are grappling with.
As parents, it is your responsibility to instruct your children that puberty onset varies from person to person.
Some children's experiences change earlier than others. Some girls start experiencing changes from as early as 8 years, and this is absolutely fine. Make them understand that everyone goes through body changes, hormonal changes and mood changes but at different pace. You can share some of your experience with them to help them feel supported. Some children go through a lot of mental stress regarding the changes they experience, especially if they experience puberty earlier than their peers.
Some Things You Can Discuss With Kids About Puberty
Aside from the obvious physical changes like breast growth, penis enlargement, and deepening of the voice in boys, there are some other changes that both girls and boys experience.
- Growth of pubic hair and underarm hair is normal in both boys and girls.
- Girls and boys might experience acne and sweat more.
- Girls start menstruation. Explain what it means,let them know that it is normal and tell her to discuss this with you when it starts so you can put her through using sanitary pads and the likes.
- Boys grow facial hair, some boys start earlier than others.
- Boys sometimes have wet dreams.
Wrapping Up
Talking to kids about puberty can be quite sensitive and awkward, depending on the relationship you have with them. While some parents find the conversion embarrassing, it is a huge must-have. If anything, it helps your children know you are there for them.
And the discussion is not a one-time thing; you should follow-up as often as you can. A chunk of the issues children experience are disclosed in spontaneous conversations, so as a parent, always have them.