Growing Up: Preparing for Menstruation

The topic of puberty and menstruation can be uncomfortable for both parents and teachers of children with or without disabilities.  For families and teachers, recognizing that children and students are physically starting to become adults can be challenging and scary.  There are some valuable resources to help parents and teachers explain the changes that will take place as children reach puberty.  It is important for girls to be prepared for both the hormonal and physical changes that will take place.  Utilizing the appropriate resources will depend on the cognitive level of the child.  For some girls, teaching the appropriate responses to the things that will be happening to their bodies will be most important.

Utilizing curriculum materials, visuals aids and stories, parents and teachers can prepare girls for the changes that will occur during puberty.

• Child's Age: 6-10, 11-13
• Planning Effort: Low
• Difficulty Level: Easy

access to the related resources

1. Determine the appropriate level of instruction for your child/student (i.e. how to respond to physical changes and/or a scientific approach as to how the human body changes as we age).

2. Review available resources and identify teaching tools and strategies.

3. Using materials, visual aids and stories, make time to teach your daughter/student during regularly scheduled times.