Photo Credit: Lori Branham via Compfight

It may be 10 degrees and snowy outside, but spring is definitely in the air for many of our Ospreys.  Research is clear: Children today, both boys and girls, start puberty at a younger age than they did even 15 years ago.  The average age of puberty for boys is between 9 and 10 years old.  Girls start puberty as young as 8 years old.  Pediatricians and medical researchers attribute this shift to many things, including childhood obesity and food additives.  Whatever the reason, the facts are clear: most MBS students will start puberty during the time they spend with us.  The issue is further complicated by access to media.  In a world of 24 hour news and social media, Miley Cyrus’ twerking escapades did not only appear during the music awards, they were shown on prime time news channels and all over social media!  Sex continues to sell, as it has done for generations, and our children are exposed to advertising on TV, online, in stores, and on the radio.  Between biological changes and media exposure, it is no wonder our Ospreys are curious about reproduction.

To some extent, women can’t avoid having some kind of discussion with daughters, as obvious physical changes inevitably bring up questions.  Many families, however, are not prepared for the earlier onset of puberty in boys.

Still, children are curious creatures, and once they begin to wonder, they will have questions.  If they do not get answers from caring adults, they will turn to one another or ask older brothers, sisters, cousins, or kids on the school bus.    I’ve already had three instances this spring during which boys were sharing explicit information with one another.  Some of it was accurate; some of it was not.  What do you want your children to learn, and where to you want them to get the information?  When you are in control, you have the opportunity to convey your values along with the facts.

One strategy is to find some good information and leave it for them to read.  Invite them to ask you some questions, and give them the basic information along with your values.  Our PE and Health teachers will be sharing information with our fourth and fifth graders this spring, with a parent night held prior to student lessons so parents know what is being shared.

I promise you, it is NOT too soon.  I know we all want to cherish these last few years of childhood.  At MBS, we have a hard and fast rule – no “dating.”  We know that some of our fifth graders “go out,” but we tell them that we don’t want to hear anything about it during the school day.  We let them know that humans are funny animals – we spend the first part of life wishing we were older, and the second part of our life wishing we were younger!  We do our best to maintain innocence at MBS, but the culture (and biology) are working against us.

I encourage you to consider this information and make a plan.  If you are not ready now, when will you be ready?  There are plenty of good web sites and books to help you out.  Mr. Hunt, Mrs. Eastman, and Mrs. Frieberg are good resources, as is Mrs. Routsong.  We’re happy to offer you some websites and materials to help with this important topic.  I’ve listed a few sites below:

http://childrenshospitalblog.org/

http://kidshealth.org

http://healthychildren.org