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Talking to a Pubescent About Sexuality

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    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. 

     In general you want to focus on normative anatomy and puberty.  

    1. When answering questions make sure to find out what they already know on any subject.  They may have gotten information that isn’t 100% correct. Give your young person permission to know more than the kids who know it all… how? By giving them good information that busts myths that they have need told.  
    2. Be age appropriate.  When a young person asks about how a baby is made or how it got inside of a person that they know, they are not asking for information about that person’s sex life.  Keep it general! 
    3. Remind young people that if they understand their bodies, feeling and values it will help guide them in their sexual choices. 

     

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