BCHS Community Newsletter - Other - Page 9
A
labour
ofServices
love:
returns to Bendigo a second time
Bendigo
Community Health
values Expo
children from all
Child safety commitment
backgrounds. We are dedicated to making our community a safe,
nurturing and welcoming place for children to grow and develop. We
are committed to making sure ALL children reach their individual
potential. We will do this by supporting families to keep children safe,
healthy, happy; helping families support children to reach their full
potential; and effectively advocating for children and being a champion
for quality outcomes in child health and wellbeing. Visit bchs.com.au to
read our child safety commitment in full.
It proved to be a hit last year with year 9 and 10
students in the region, and now the Love Your Body
Expo is set to return on September 4.
The love fest will be held at the La Trobe University
Sports Complex and feature education sessions and a
host of youth services who will have interactive stalls to
peruse, including headspace, Thorne Harbour County,
Anglicare Bendigo, HEY Diversity, Yeah Nah consent,
CERSH as well as BCHS’ own Health Promotion and
Sexual & Reproductive Health teams.
The aim of the expo is to increase students’ confidence
and knowledge when it comes to managing their sexual
health and wellbeing with a variety of topics addressed
on the day ranging from contraception and pregnancy,
through to pornography, and anything in between such
as nurturing a healthy mind and body, identity and
diversity, and consent.
YOUR PUBERTY PEP TALK
Hormones, hygiene and
hair growth... Parental
guidance is recommended
for this rite of passage.
So, parents… that pesky puberty
talk… do you just throw a book
at your kids and close the door?
Well… here9s another approach
you could try.
What is puberty?
Puberty is nature9s way of saying,
8Hey, let9s make life a little bit
more interesting!9.
It describes the physical changes
that happen when a young person9s
body starts to become more like
an adult9s body. It9s when a young
person9s sexual and reproductive
organs mature, and before any
physical changes happen, the
body starts to make hormones
that trigger sexual development
and growth.
When they come, physical changes
include breast development,
menstruation / periods, penis and
testicular growth, erections, wet
dreams, masturbation, body image,
deepening of voice, hair growth
and personal hygiene.
You remember how it was, right?
Time is an illusion
If puberty feels like a lifetime ago,
we9ve got the information you need.
Changes usually start happening
between the ages of 8-16. Early
changes in a young person9s brain
and hormone levels can9t be seen
on the outside so it9s important to
know that puberty can start at
different times for different people.
And the changes can be physical,
social or emotional. It9s a hormonal
roll of the dice and you never know
which one you may get!
And we9re afraid the same goes for
a time range on just when puberty
will finish; it can take around 18
months to complete, or it could take
up to five years.
with a chance of mood swings –
and that may just be for you as you
navigate what can be an awkward
topic! We do get it though. Talking
about puberty, periods and
reproductive health with your child
can be tricky. It9s normal for parents
to feel all the feels, but it9s also
important that you don9t wait for your
child9s questions; consider in advance
what they need to know to be
supported in this phase of life.
The good news is that there is no
need for the 8Big Talk9, just lots of
small talks as you go along. Check out
our top tips below:
Start your conversations early normalise these conversations and
build healthy habits.
Don9t try to fit everything about
puberty into one conversation,
revisit topics as your child grows.
Communication is important.
Really listen to your child, ask
gentle questions and know it9s
okay to not have the answer to
every question.
Small talks will be a big help!
Use the correct names for their
private body parts.
Make it relevant – use
opportunities that arise in your
everyday life to start the
conversations, such as an issue
on TV or a pregnancy.
Chances are it9ll be partly hormonal
There’s more where this came from!
Visit bchs.com.au for the rest of our
practical tips on talking about
puberty with your child.
Yep, it9s a time for you and your
young person to buckle up for the
ride of their life!
Is a puberty conversation
imminently forecast in your house?
