One of the functions of us parents is teaching our kids even before they learn from society and other platforms like TV and social media. Parenting involves building trust between you and your kids and making your home a safe space such that your kids can be comfortable letting you in on their deepest emotions.
In the same vein, it is all about being able to firmly but gently teach your kids about life in general. Educate them on the issues facing the world and how they can arm themselves with the proper knowledge and right tools to face whatever challenge life throws at them.
This includes talking to your girls and enlightening them about puberty. While having such talks with female kids is often seen as the responsibility of moms, especially on some girls talk blogs, dads can also do this alone (especially single dads). Alternatively, parents can both have this discussion together as a family with their girls.
Whether you are having this talk alone with your girl child or together with your partner, these tips will help you pass across your message the best way you can.
But before we get into this, let us have a quick conversation about puberty and what age is appropriate to discuss with your kids.
The talk about puberty
We all passed through puberty, and so would our kids. The sooner we educate them about that phase of life, the better. Puberty is that transition period where your babies go from being kids into sexually mature adolescents.
For girls, it’s within the ages of 10 and 14. It comes with distinctive physical changes like breast development, acne and pimples on the face, hair growth in the armpit and other pubic parts, and menstruation. In boys, however, puberty happens later. Boys usually experience puberty between the ages of 12 and 16. The most distinctive changes are the appearance of pubic hair, a deeper voice, and acne.
Puberty signifies that the body is getting ready for reproduction, and hormones that used to be asleep are finally waking up to begin their work. This is a critical stage for your children as they begin to experiences changes physically and otherwise and need guidance in managing the changes they experience.
Now, this is where you come in. To help your girls understand the changes and be knowledgeable about the phase they are going through, you can start by talking to them about puberty following these tips:
Tips on how to successful enlighten your girls about puberty
- Start early
Ideally, you should enlighten your girls about puberty before they hit that stage. However, since the usual age bracket for puberty in girls is ages 10 and 14, you should educate them on puberty as early as age 8 or 9.
- Take your time
Do not rush. Chances are your girls are hearing about puberty or the same time and will have a little confusion here and there. Take your time to articulately explain things and answer all the questions they might have. This conversation might not be concluded in one sitting, so do not be in a hurry to be “done with it.”
- Don’t leave out the sex
Quite a touchy subject, yes? But who would you rather your girls learnt about sex? You or from movies that set unrealistic standards and sometimes false info?
One significant change from puberty is the maturing of the sex and reproductive organs, which brings about menstruation. Your girls should know the consequences of sex, not being touched by adults and other sensitive information. Only limit this to age-appropriate knowledge.
- Use other resources
You can make use of age-appropriate pictures and videos to further explain things to them. Also, get helpful medical resources tailored for girls their age to teach them about the body and hormonal changes.
While at it,
Help your girls see that this is a necessary change and that puberty is perfectly normal. Be there to answer all their questions, hold their hands when it gets scary and teach them how to lay a sanitary pad or use a tampon if need be. You should also visit our blog for more parenting tips, tips on being a mom and raising your girl child.