Wednesday, February 8, 2017

A Parent's Survival Guide To Puberty

Time flies so fast and children grows up fast too! Now, if you have children who are about to come up to their teenage years, you are probably starting to get worried about puberty. Everyone goes through this phase, but that doesn’t make it any easier on any of us. The hormonal and physical changes that teenagers go through can be very hard for them to deal with, but their reaction to puberty can be hard for the rest of their family. I’m sure everyone knows the bad reputation that teens have for being short-tempered and moody! But don’t worry, there are ways you can make puberty easier on your teen and your family. Read on for the parent’s survival guide to puberty!


Encourage Your Child To Talk

It is important that your child is honest and open with you about the feelings and emotions that they go through during this time. There will be some big hormonal changes affecting their body, and all of these could play a big part in their moods, and could even lead to major mood swings. It is important that you regularly chat to them to make sure that they are okay, and that they understand that this phase is only temporary. It should also be noted that teenagers can experience certain mental health issues during puberty. If you suspect that your child is showing symptoms of these, then you need to encourage them to speak to a professional. 

Be Honest About Sexual Health

Increase in the number of teenage pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted disease are some of the major concerns here in the Philippines. The government plans on distributing condoms to High school students, however this is being protested by different personalities and organizations. Let's face it, teenagers will start to be a lot more aware of members of the opposite sex once they hit puberty. They will start to realize that they have a sexuality and will start to experience sexual feelings. So we should start educating our children about sexual health. As much as possible we should teach them abstinence and since we live in a dominantly catholic community, premarital sex is a big no. But if you suspect that your teenager is sexually active, it is crucial that they fully understand sexual health. Have a discreet conversation to them about the importance of practicing safe sex and condoms. You should also tell them about the importance of regular sexual health checkups at clinics like Priority STD Testing.

Promote A Healthy Lifestyle

Lots of teenagers will experience some weight gain through puberty. There is nothing to be worried about if they do add on a few extra pounds. This is very common, especially in girls as their body is developing and preparing itself for childbirth. For this reason, it is very important that you promote a healthy lifestyle so that this weight gain doesn’t get out of control. Encourage your teenager to eat a healthy and well-balanced diet and to be as active as possible. You should also be wary if your teen starts to follow a fad diet. These are often unhealthy, and should not be followed for a prolonged period. Make sure that they are eating a variety of foods so that they are getting all the healthy nutrients that they need for a healthy body and immune system. 

Puberty doesn’t have to be a big uphill struggle for you and your teen. Hopefully, the above tips will help both of you get through it without too many arguments and mood swings!

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