Puberty and Sexual Health

Parents should provide the guidance and knowledge their children need to become responsible, happy adults.

However, they are sometimes afraid of talking about puberty because:

• Talking about reproductive body parts and how they work makes them uncomfortable. The topic may not have come up when they were young.
• They wonder if talking about reproduction will encourage their child to experiment. In fact, young people whose parents discuss all aspects of sexuality openly, tend to delay becoming sexually active, compared to youth whose parents do not raise this topic.
• They are not sure what their children need to know and when they need to know it.

As parents, you are already teaching your children many things about puberty and have been since the day they were born. They learn from you:

• The way their bodies feel to them.
• The words that family members use (and don't use) to refer to parts of the body.
• About relationships, by watching people around them.
• About male/female roles by observing.

Parents should...

• Answer questions honestly. Tell their children what they want to know using words they can understand.
• Provide correct information.
  Start conversations. Some children never ask about puberty. Parents can start a conversation by using everyday situations, such as watching a TV show or noticing how their children's bodies are growing.
• Share their beliefs, concerns and values. Children need to know where their parents stand.
• Help their children make good decisions and stand by their decisions.

Grades 5 and 6: what children learn about puberty at school

Some students may be a bit nervous hearing about their changing body in front of classmates. One way parents can help is by knowing what their children are learning in school.

Grade 5 and 6 teachers who get Puberty Education Workshop training often teach the puberty curriculum in May or June.

Children will learn that...

• Puberty usually starts between the ages of eight and 16, and lasts a few years.
• Everyone is different and it does not matter when you start puberty. It starts with hormone levels increasing in the body.
• There are signs they are starting puberty, such as a:
• growth spurt that includes increased size of testicles for boys and the appearance of breast buds for girls
• hair growth in new places (underarm and pubic area)
• menstruation
• body odour
• lower voice in boys

Many parents feel more confident about talking to their children once they know what words to use and how much information to give. Parents can borrow books and videos from our Public Health Resource: call 519-883-2256.

For more information about sexual health, check the Sexual Health page.

For more information about puberty, visit the the Alberta - Teaching Sexual Health website.