How can I teach my child about puberty?

For kids with disabilities, puberty isn’t just about the body’s maturation and the talks we need to have about those changes; it’s also fraught with the challenges that come with growing up in bodies that are often disproportionately examined, exercised, and manually prompted and supported by therapists, doctors, paraprofessionals, aides, and (of course) family. The mere fact of these daily intrusions means we need to spend a lot more time making sure our kids understand their bodies and their boundaries.

Unfortunately, many states don’t include sex ed in special education curriculum and don’t include consent as part of that curriculum. However, as a parent, you can have ongoing talks with your child about these topics:

• Teach "public" vs. "private"
• Teach "appropriate" vs. "inappropriate"
• Teach "acquaintance" vs. "friend"

For ideas and examples of how to teach these concepts, especially through games, check out our article Preparing for Puberty By Teaching Kids About Boundaries. In the article, we also list plenty of books you can read with your child to talk about puberty and sex ed. Another resource is SEEDS (Self-Esteem Education & Development in Sexuality), an organization that provides curriculum for adolescents with disabilities.