INSIDE THE MIND OF A TEENAGER

When your child hits teenagehood, they go through lots of different physical, social, emotional, and brain changes. How can you be there for your child through these?

During puberty, children's bodies, emotions, and concepts of themselves evolve and shift. There's rarely any need for concern if your child experiences some of these changes ahead or behind their friends and peers. The main thing is to make sure your child feels secure and supported by you.

PHYSICAL CHANGES

Puberty is the stage where your child goes through a series of significant, natural, and healthy changes. It begins when shifts in your child's brain trigger hormones to be released into their bodies. These cause significant physical changes that will transform and mature them from a child into an adult, over time.

The onset of puberty usually happens around 10-11 years for girls and around 11-12 years for boys. However, it's perfectly normal for the beginning of puberty to range from 8-13 years in girls and 9-14 years in boys.