At some point in life you started noticing the changes in your body.  You didn’t always notice, but one day you started to see that changes are not as simple as “I am getting taller.”

Check out https://www.talkwithyourkids.org/talk-with-your-kids-timeline This can help caregivers navigate when to talk about what and strategies for those conversations. 

During puberty the body prepares for reproduction.  At first it is the small shifts in hormones that cause physical changes; as the body begins mature sex assignment we will see a range of things happening. We will review the changes here so that you have some information that you are comfortable when you begin talking about changes with your young person. 

Sexual Education is Important

Yes, you know that. It is the reason you searched out this site.

But why is it important?

Family-based sexual education is a way for caregivers to teach young people their values. 

Sexual education starts younger than many adults think. Young people begin to get messages about gender roles, biological sex and sexuality at a young age. So we are already giving lessons without even knowing it, the idea is to be cognizant of the messages we are sending.

As your young person reaches school age they will be receiving huge amounts of sexuality education. In some schools it will be peer-based, some even fear-based, in some it will be a mixture of peer and abstinence-only curriculum. 

Caregivers can add more to what is taught in their young person's school; they can debunk myths, add perspective and increase their young person's self-confidence.

Talking to a young person about sexuality is not the same when they are 4-6 as 7-9.

First big difference a child under 6 years old has not started puberty and their peer group hasn’t either.  

Once over 7 years old even if that young person has not started puberty there is a very good chance that a classmate or someone that they take part in extracurriculars with is showing signs.