Puberty: A Good First Talk to Have With Your 5-7-Year-Old Son
We covered teaching young girls in our previous post and now it’s the boys’ turn!
Little boys are usually very curious about their male anatomy. It is just so easy to find their genitals and to compare what they have to everybody else. They are usually also very interested in the fact that little girls do not have the same anatomy. This inquisitiveness provides an easy opening to teach them about their anatomy. The child is usually eager to learn, but sometimes the parents are not so ready to teach.
I have observed three different types of parental responses to the topic of little boy anatomy.
- “He’s just a boy” is what I hear most parents say and then that seems to be the end of the story. I have had the opportunity to talk to lots of parents of elementary-school-aged kids and I have been thrilled by the enthusiasm to teach little girls about their body. Now I am on a campaign to let little boys in on the teaching too.
- “Boys aren’t as complicated as girls” is another common response by parents. Actually, the anatomy of the male reproductive system has a little more to it than girl anatomy. Maybe that sounds intimidating, but there are lots of tubes to cover!
- “Who should do the teaching?” is a third response. For some parents, dad doing the teaching of boy anatomy is a new idea. But dads are wonderful teachers. In preparation for my books, I invited father/son teams to review a draft of the book together. The response I consistently heard from both the dad and son was that their time together was a special bonding time.
My first book for boys basically talks about the genitals, testicles and penis. The book is called Special Me, I’m a Boy.
Using my book will make the teaching easier for you because Dr. M (the fictional teacher in the book) provides all of the content for you. You and your son can simply enjoy the learning experience together.
Here’s what you can do as you prepare for this special teaching time with your son:
- Review the book on your own. This book has an engaging storyline with relatable characters. Note that there are three “Dr. M Says” boxes in the book. Each box includes a learning concept that summarizes an important point about anatomy. These boxes narrow your goals as you teach your son. If he understands these three points, you have earned a learning victory!
- Select a time and place where you can be alone with your son.
- Make sure that you will not be interrupted by people, siblings, or mobile devices.
- Include some favorite treats so that this time together will be memorable and fun.
- Start at the beginning of the book and introduce the characters to him first. See which one he thinks is most like him. Make sure he feels comfortable with Dr. M and looks forward to learning from her.
- If your son is closer to five years old than seven years old, you might want to divide this time into two learning experiences.
- Don’t expect your son to remember everything you have taught him. This is just the first pass teaching this important information. As you go throughout your day, when there are opportunities, refer back to concepts in the book. This will reinforce what your son has learned and also prepare him for the next book in the series, I’m a Boy, My Changing Body written for 8-10-year-old boys who are about to enter early puberty.
By sharing this special time together, you have created a unique family memory and taken the mystery out of this topic! Join us in the Community if you have specific questions for Dr. M!
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