Adolescence is a crucial phase in a student's life, marked by the development of their identity and how they present themselves to the world. Like picking a favorite advertisement, they often get caught up in projecting an image rather than focusing on their well-being. This stage presents challenges in striking a balance between appearing 'cool' and making healthy, safe, and legal choices, often influenced by peer pressure. While NCERT textbooks introduce the topic of puberty in Grade 8, it's worth noting that many students, especially girls, are experiencing puberty much earlier, sometimes as early as Grade 5 or 4. Therefore, it's essential to have open and ongoing discussions, particularly in families, to clarify thoughts and feelings on these issues. In today's digital age, children have unsupervised access to information and misinformation, making it challenging for schools and teachers to take sole responsibility for teaching children about health and safety. To parents, I want to emphasize that your child's health and safety should be your primary concern. While schools do their best to provide knowledge and exposure through classroom activities, it can never replace the essential conversations that should happen at home. Children's curiosity will drive them to explore, and it's our duty as parents and educators to guide their curiosity toward healthy and safe avenues. Topics like puberty, sexual health, orientation, safety, consent, laws, and abuse require ongoing, open, and healthy discussions at home. It's not a one-time lecture, but a continuous dialogue that should take place in a trusted and comfortable environment. To help initiate these discussions, I recommend using the following resources for children older than 10 years: - All about puberty: [Link](https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/puberty.html) - Parents Understanding: [Link](https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/understanding-puberty.html) - Puberty and Boys: [Link](https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/boys-puberty.html) - Puberty and Girls: [Link](https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/girls-puberty-center.html) These resources can serve as starting points for conversations and can be viewed together by parents and their children. It's essential to create an environment where children can ask questions, seek guidance, and feel safe discussing these critical aspects of their development.
