December 7, 2020 4 years ago leave a comment 561 Views Likes:
It can be stressful when kids start asking questions about their bodies and even yours especially if you aren’t prepared or sure about the answers. Puberty is a time of big changes for your child and you can help your child cope with the changes by talking to them about puberty early and often.
Puberty is a normal and healthy part of development for girls and boys. For most girls, the changes start between 8 and 12 years of age, but for most boys, puberty starts a bit later, between 10 and 14 years of age.
In today’s world, it is not possible to avoid sexual messages, children are also exposed to these sexual messages on TV, on social media, in movies, in music, and so on. Also, children that reach the puberty stage very early might be less prepared emotionally or get confused or worried by the changes. But your kids will most likely feel comfortable speaking with you about their sexual life. Here are some tips on how to talk to your kids about puberty;
Make sure you talk to your kids about the changes they will experience during puberty before it happens so they’re prepared and not shocked or frightened when it comes. Be ready to bring the topic up and don’t wait for them to ask.
Puberty talk is not a one-time conversation where you explain everything once without raising the subject again. Look for opportunities to talk about puberty or sex and keep the discussion short.
Use day-to-day situations to trigger conversations. You can also pick up on the changes in others, a scene in a movie, and so on and use them to spark conversations.
Kids will always ask questions. When you’re asked a question, follow up with a question: Who told you? How did you get to know about it? Was someone else talking about that? Do you want to know more?
Be honest, open, and reassuring. Puberty can be such an awkward stage in a person’s life. Help your child understand that they’re not alone in this by providing them with accurate information. The puberty talk session is also a good time to talk about pregnancy, sexual orientation, safe sex/contraception, and consent.
When talking about puberty the focus is often on the physical changes, but it’s important to talk about the emotional changes (feeling self-conscious, mood swings, intense emotions, among others) as well.
Remind your kids that puberty is a completely natural and healthy process that everybody goes through. When talking with your kids, do not look uncomfortable or embarrassed or awkward or convey the wrong message.
In conclusion, reinforce that everyone goes through these changes, but not always at the same pace. If you’re concerned about your child’s rate of development, talk to a health professional.
But if you think your kids are not ready for the talk, save it for later.
