At age 9 or 10, children may begin to feel attracted to otherpeople. This might be played out in ‘who loves who’ games, andsome children will be very interested in having boyfriends andgirlfriends. Of course many children will have no interest of thiskind. Some children will be curious about body parts and enjoyshowing theirs to their friends. This isn’t sexual contact, moreshow and tell, and normal between friends of similar ages.Friendships will be the most important concern inplaygrounds at lunchtime, and children often enjoy learningskills for how to get on with each other.As children turn 10 and 11 they often worry with thoughts suchas, ‘Am I normal?’ Girls worry about breast development andperiods, as well as getting on with friends and family. Boys oftenask about penis size, wet dreams (‘How will I manage it?’),erections and getting on with friends and family. Nearly one intwo boys experiences temporary swelling of the breasts duringpuberty. Both boys and girls will often wonder if it is normal tomasturbate (the answer is yes). These are very embarrassingquestions to ask, so do not necessarily expect that children willraise the topic; leave books around, and tell stories about yourown puberty.One of the strongestfeelings will be thedesire to blend in.One of the strongest feelings will be the desire to blend in.The changes that they are experiencing, or they are watchingtheir peers go through, are enough to make any child feel selfconscious. In addition to this is their new ability to criticallycompare themselves (and their family) with the rest of the world.Children may become aware of first sexual feelings for childrenof the same sex. If a child senses disapproval of same-sexattraction from family and society they may feel forced to hidecrushes for people of the same sex.Some children will have an interest in expressing their sexualityin dress and may need guidance on dressing to suit their age.What parents can do Start talking about puberty-type issues at age 9. It can bereassuring for children to learn when their family membersstarted noticing changes in themselves. Telling your childrenwhen you went through puberty can give them a clue aboutwhen it will start for them. Talk about how you felt, and howyou managed periods or wet dreams. Tell your children anyfunny stories you can remember about this time in your life.19
It seems that your browser's pop-up blocker has prevented us from opening a new window/tab. Please click the button below to open the link manually.
