Understanding Puberty - A guide for Parents

Going through puberty can be a difficult time for both teens and parents. There are many physical, emotional and psychological changes that occur and as a parent it is normal to feel unsure about how to best support your child through this time.

The best and most important thing you can do to help your child through this time is to reassure them. Let them know these changes are normal and it is ok to feel a bit lost. Make it known that you are a trusted person they can come to if they have any questions, doubts or worries.

Some families may struggle with the changes of puberty however others simply don’t. Puberty can be an exciting and special time. As a parent, you are in the best position to help your child as you have expert knowledge on the experience of puberty and you also know your child, what may help their experience and ease their mind.

Puberty is a time when role-modelling body acceptance is extremely important as a parent. It is normal behaviour for your child to compare their body to those of their friends or what they see on social media. Many teens can easily feel worried about their own development, body shape and size. The best thing to do can be to listen non-judgementally, show them that you understand and explain that bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Modelling a healthy lifestyle and encouraging conversations around changes will help your child through the process of puberty.

What to expect during puberty…

As we touched on before, there are many changes when teens go through puberty. These are physical, sexual, social and emotional. Puberty begins when changes in your child’s brain cause sex hormones to be released in the:

• Ovaries (usually around age 10/11 but can range from 8 – 13 years).
• Testes (usually around the age 11 – 13 but can range from 9 – 14 years).

The duration of puberty is determined by genetic, nutritional and social factors. Puberty can last anywhere from 18 months up to 5 years.

During puberty, your child may experience:

• Oily skin (can lead to acne)
• Oily hair (may require frequent washing)
• Increased body odour (deodorant and frequent showering can help)
• A growth spurt (around 11cm a year in girls and 13cm a year in boys). Teens continue to grow about 2cm every year after their main growth spurt.

During puberty, girls will experience:

• Breast development and possible tenderness
• A change in their physical figure (widening of the hips)
• Growth of pubic and underarm hair
• Their first period (may be irregular at first)
• Vaginal discharge

Getting her first period and how to be prepared…

There is a likelihood that your daughter could get her period at school or when she isn’t at home so make sure to talk to her and prepare her with period products that are safe and easy to use. It is important for her to understand what a period is, how it affects her body and how to use products to control the bleeding. It is likely she will have questions about what products to use, how to use them and where to dispose of them. It is valuable to make sure she understands these processes, so that she feels prepared and comfortable when her period comes rather than feeling lost or unsure.

Additionally, when your daughter gets her first period, it means her body is ovulating (releasing eggs) and therefore, she is able to get pregnant. Make sure to talk to your daughter about sex and pregnancy prevention so that she is aware about ovulation and her menstrual cycle.

Why Veeda?

Veeda offers safe and affordable pads and tampons for girls and women who have their periods. Our products are easy to use, don’t contain any nasty chemicals and are made of sustainably sourced GMO-free cotton. This means that unlike our competitors, our products don’t contain any fragrances, chlorine, rayons or synthetic fibres that can be harmful to your body. Veeda period care is dermatologically and gynecologically tested making our products hypoallergenic and safe for daily use. Feel comfortable counting on Veeda to be your choice of safe and reliable period care.

Click here to visit our Women's Health resource.

Click here for everything you need to know about using tampons whether you’re a new tampon user or simply want to learn about potential better practices around precautions, inserting, removing and disposing a tampon.

Medical Disclaimer: Articles are intended for informational purposes only and should not be used as the basis of patient treatment. Ask a medical professional if you have any health-related questions or concerns.

Additional Resources

Better Health Channel. (2021). Parenting children through puberty and adolescence.https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Parenting-children-through-puberty

McCoy, K. (2010). A Teen’s guide to her first period. https://www.everydayhealth.com/pms/a-teens-guide-to-her-first-period.aspx