Supporting Physical Changes in Kids

The sudden seeming changes that come with puberty may trigger worries for kids and teens about their looks and how their bodies have changed and continue to change as they grow.

One thing parents can do is to make sure your child is wearing clothes that fit their body now. When our students wear clothes that are too small their self-consciousness about their body changes will be heightened. If they are ill-fitting wearing hand-me-downs or clothes that are too large, that can lead to discomfort as well. While I completely empathize with the fact that some kids grow so quickly that it’s hard to keep them in right-fitting clothes, I know that for some, their self-esteem may be tied to what they wear and how they wear it.

Another great topic of conversation to have with older elementary and middle school kids is to talk about how puberty comes at different times for each person. Some early developers might struggle because emotionally they are the same age as their peers but their body looks much older. The same is true for kids who may be lagging behind their friends with the onset of hormonal changes and growth spurts. Make sure to share with your child that these changes are normal and that every person reaches puberty in their own time.

Body changes are expected as puberty begins as are emotional changes. The combination of hormonal and physical changes can produce feelings of irritability, sadness and withdrawal. It may seem that third grade is too early to begin puberty but it is not uncommon for some bodies to begin to change around nine-years-old.