Life can be full of challenging conversations -
We found the following article on Queensland health?s page which might be useful for the parents in our community dealing with this.
Reassurance, support and understanding are key when chatting with your teen.
Puberty is a big deal to your teen. As a parent, you may remember your experience with puberty, both the physical and emotional changes, and now want to help your teenager understand what is happening to their body.
So, what are the best ways to explain these changes and how should you talk about them? Reassurance, support and understanding are key when chatting with your teen. Remember, not only is their body changing but the way they look at the world is also changing. We?ve listed some key steps you can take to help your teenager feel comfortable about their developing body.
What is puberty?
Knowing what puberty is and the changes that occur is an important step before having a conversation with your teen. Puberty, also known as adolescence, is the transitional period between childhood and adulthood. Your child will go through some significant changes including physical, psychological and emotional changes.
Physical changes aren?t always the first sign of puberty, so it can often be hard to tell when your child is experiencing the first stages. It usually happens around 10-11 years for girls and around 11-13 years for boys. This is when changes in your child?s brain starts to release sex hormones.
Puberty usually lasts 2.5 to 3 years but can sometimes take 5 years. At the end of the development, your child will be sexually and reproductively mature, but not always emotionally mature.