As parents there is not much that can prepare you for the day that your son or daughter reaches the stage where they go through puberty.
While this period is often one that is expected, there is no exact date on when you or your child will officially be staring it in the face.
Medline Plus – an expert health publication – defines puberty as being the stage in which a boy or girl becomes sexually mature. It further explained that this often happens between the ages of 10 – 14 years old in girls and 12 – 16 years for boys. Along with this is the evidence of physical changes that evolve both internally and externally.
Females develop breast, pubic hair and experience menstruation, while males experience penis growth, facial hair and the deepening of their voices.
While the process is considered extremely normal. This often has emotional effects on teens and affects their self-esteem and confidence.
To assist parents who are or will be going through similar experiences, Better Health – a medical information publication – has recommended the following tips to ensure that you transition through this phase smoothly.
Here are some tips on how you can support your child:
- Reassuring your child that they can trust you. Try and speak about your own experiences, and assure them that they can have these difficult conversations without fear of judgement or embarrassment.
- Show compassion towards their emotions and assure them that these changes are normal.
- Respect their privacy, knock before entering their rooms.
- Try stay calm when your teen has outbursts and speak to them once they have calmed down.
- If your child has acne, speak to them about how it makes them feel and see if they can go and visit a dermatologist.
Also see: Signs and symptoms of menstruation
