My seven-year-old daughter isn’t curious about this stuff, she never even mentions it. Why should I force this knowledge on her?
She may be very interested in how her body is going to transform into a teenager and how babies are made, but might be too uncomfortable to address it with you. Perhaps she senses your discomfort and is afraid to broach the subject.
Good! I don’t want her to know until she’s thirty!
While that’s a very common sentiment, it’s not very practical or fair to your child. Besides, you don’t want to wait until she’s a teenager for this talk about the facts of life. Try to imagine talking about sex to a thirteen-year-old. Imagine it: she thinks you’re dumb and embarrassing and what you’re talking about is totally gross. For you, the whole idea of the dreaded TALK will be so daunting that it will more than likely just get skipped altogether. Then consider who your kid is left to learn about puberty and sex… her idiotic friends whom you can’t stand and who don’t know diddly-poop about anything. Taking it to the next step, if you haven’t prepared your little girl for menstruation before her first period, you could be creating a time bomb of unnecessary fear and panic for her.
Well, my son doesn’t have periods.
You’re right. Your son doesn’t have menstruation cycles… but he should learn about them. Just like girls should be educated about erections and wet dreams. Yes, you read it correctly. These bodily functions are as normal as eating and sleeping. It is important that kids know both sides of puberty so they know that they are not alone going through these changes regardless of their gender.
So, while your son may not have Aunt Flow visit him every month, those wet dreams may make him feel very weird or somehow his body is wrong or bad for having these unusual sensations if left uneducated. A little nurturing and helpful guidance from you just might strengthen his self-esteem through this confusing time.
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