Conversations to Have with an Adult: Puberty, Emotions and more! Conversations to Have with an Adult: Puberty, Emotions and more! Add video to playlist Create Playlist KJS Amaze 2019 Add Playlist Willow Remove Playlist Personal Safety, consent Add Playlist Sex Add Playlist Emotions Add Playlist Puberty Add Playlist The Beginning of Female Annatomy Add Playlist For Auri Add Playlist middleschool Add Playlist 6th grade health Remove Playlist 8th Grade Add Playlist 7th Grade Add Playlist 6th Grade Add Playlist hygiene 5th grade Add Playlist 5th grade body ed Add Playlist Mystery Add Playlist Pregnancy & Reproduction Add Playlist Consent Add Playlist Puberty & Adolescense Add Playlist Sexual Identity Add Playlist Healthy Relationships, Masturbation, and STI’s Add Playlist Sex Ed Add Playlist Beginning Add Playlist Family Life/Human Sexuality Add Playlist 6th Grade Remove Playlist young people Add Playlist Puberty Add Playlist 4 plus Add Playlist 6th grade Puberty Remove Playlist Puberty 7th grade Add Playlist First Amazing! Remove Playlist STIs Add Playlist Pregnancy Add Playlist 2019 Add Playlist x02 Add Playlist SexEd Add Playlist Health Edu in Order Add Playlist Crush and good relationships Add Playlist Boy health and bod info Add Playlist Just good info! Add Playlist sexual safety Add Playlist YOUR body and health Add Playlist Safety/Healthy Add Playlist LGBTQ+ Add Playlist Crushes/Dating Remove Playlist Debunking Myths Add Playlist Emotions Remove Playlist The Body Add Playlist Menstruation Add Playlist Jax Add Playlist Biological Male Anatomy Add Playlist health class Add Playlist Relationship Advice Add Playlist General Safety Add Playlist Female Health Spot Add Playlist Puberty Add Playlist Useful Things! Add Playlist LGBTQ Toolkit Videos Add Playlist Colin’s Site Add Playlist Alex Add Playlist Helana Add Playlist Clil Add Playlist Education Add Playlist Lorna Add Playlist 6th grade health Add Playlist stuff Add Playlist Gr 6-7 Add Playlist Gr 4-5 Add Playlist Videos Add Playlist e3 Civic High Add Playlist Puberty Add Playlist em Add Playlist Lily Add Playlist Griffin Add Playlist Communication Add Playlist Consent Add Playlist my family Add Playlist 8th Grade Health Add Playlist I’m transgender Add Playlist Puberty Toolkit Videos Add Playlist Cara Watch Remove Playlist Maddox Add Playlist Videos to Watch Add Playlist Child development Add Playlist Health Add Playlist Wrap MC Add Playlist Puberty Add Playlist Eli pregnancy Add Playlist Eli safety Add Playlist Eli Add Playlist Puberty in Males Add Playlist some playlist test Add Playlist Human Growth & Development (5th Grade) Add Playlist puberty Add Playlist Stuff to know Add Playlist Relationship Videos Add Playlist health class 2018/2019 Add Playlist Hi Add Playlist Exploration Add Playlist biglist Add Playlist Conversations to Have with an Adult: Puberty, Emotions and more! | Friendship Love Youth Sometimes it can be awkward to ask a parent or trusted adult questions about puberty and sex. As uncomfortable as it may feel, remember that they were once your age and went through the same things you are going through. A parent or adult you trust can provide the support you deserve as you go through puberty. That’s why it is important for you to have at least one adult you trust and can talk with. Choose someone you think is a good listener and won’t be judgmental. Choose someone who will help you figure out what to do in a tough spot or help you process your feelings and thoughts. Look for someone you admire—someone you think you might like to grow up to be like one day. Ask yourself, Do I respect this person? Do I trust them? Will they take me seriously? Will they respect me and not judge me? Trusted adults can be your parents, grandparents, other relatives, caregivers, teachers or coaches. Even your friends’ parents can provide advice, answer difficult questions, share their values and/or faith traditions and help you as you grow into an adult. Regardless of who a trusted adult is to you, what matters is that this person provide the support you need and deserve. FAQs I am so embarrassed to talk with my parents about this stuff. What can I do? It is totally normal to feel embarrassed to talk about these topics with your parents, especially if your family has never talked about puberty and growing up. However, it is important to remember that adults were your age at one point in their lives, and they have a lot of experience with these topics. You may be surprised how open and willing they are to talk. If you still don’t feel like you can talk to a parent, you can identify another adult that you trust to have these conversations with. This might be another relative, a teacher, a coach, a guidance counselor or even a friend’s parent. My mom wants to talk about this stuff with me all the time, and I am just so embarrassed. What can I do? It is totally normal to feel embarrassed to talk about these topics with your parents. Most likely, your mom just wants to show you that she supports you and that you can talk to her if you have questions. If you feel like she is being too pushy or overbearing, just let her know that you aren’t ready to talk about these topics right now, but if and when you are ready, you understand that she is there for you. RELATED VIDEOS How to Be a Good Listener Close ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Sex, Etc. KidsHealth Parents Adolescence can be an exciting and challenging time when both young people’s bodies and minds are going through lots of changes. Having at least one trusted adult they can talk to about sensitive topics, such as puberty, their feelings and growing up, really helps. Trusted adults can be parents, grandparents, other relatives, caregivers, teachers or coaches. Even a young person’s friends’ parents can provide advice, answer difficult questions, share their values and/or faith traditions. Regardless of who a trusted adult is, what matters is that this person provide the support a young person needs and deserves. This is especially true for young people facing additional physical, emotional or social challenges. Young people can feel awkward and nervous about talking with adults, especially if they know adults are going to judge or lecture them. While an adult may want to do all of the talking and tell a young person how to feel and what to think, this is a sure way to have a young person withdraw. An adult who listens to what young people have to say and respects their experiences and perspectives will earn their trust. If a young person does not feel judged, that young person is more likely to be honest with an adult and seek out help if they get into trouble, feel uncomfortable at a party or need help handling a tough situation. CONVERSATION STARTERS Effective communication is the foundation of healthy relationships, and this is true for relationships between young people and their parents, caregivers or other trusted adults. As a parent or trusted adult, you can help your child or another young person practice good communication skills by demonstrating healthy communication skills in your conversations with them and being a supportive listener when a young person needs help. The easiest way to start conversations about communication is to talk about it as it comes up in everyday life, like while watching a show or movie together. Here are some ways to start these conversations: Educators Adolescence can be an exciting and challenging time when both young people’s bodies and minds are going through lots of changes. Having at least one trusted adult they can talk to about sensitive topics, such as puberty, their feelings and growing up, really helps. Trusted adults can be parents, grandparents, other relatives, caregivers, teachers or coaches. Even a young person’s friends’ parents can provide advice, answer difficult questions, share their values and/or faith traditions. Regardless of who a trusted adult is, what matters is that this person provide the support a young person needs and deserves. This is especially true for young people facing additional physical, emotional or social challenges. Young people can feel awkward and nervous about talking with adults, especially if they know adults are going to judge or lecture them. While an adult may want to do all of the talking and tell a young person how to feel and what to think, this is a sure way to have a young person withdraw. An adult who listens to what young people have to say and respects their experiences and perspectives will earn their trust. If a young person does not feel judged, that young person is more likely to be honest with an adult and seek out help if they get into trouble, feel uncomfortable at a party or need help thinking through how to handle a tough situation. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Additional Resources Advocates for Youth Answer Planned Parenthood SIECUS YTH Lesson Plans 8th Grade—Lesson 2: The World Around Me When I Was A Teenager Like Mother Like Son? Breaking The Ice Books Talk to Me First: Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids’ "Go-To" Person About Sex Deborah Roffman