Tag Archives: childhood

American Academy Of Pediatrics to release puberty guide for all genders

I don’t remember much about “sex ed,” probably because, like most kid, I turned a lot of it out, and I was lucky to have a good working knowledge of puberty before I engaged in any formal classes.

What I do remember, or rather don’t remember, was learning much about what happens to boys, or kids born with male body parts (though the word trans was not in my vocabulary at the time). As a girl, the focus was on things like ovaries and periods, and breasts and babies. We weren’t learning about sperm or erections or ejaculation.

At the time, I didn’t think much of why we were separated along gender lines. I guess, like the teachers, I presumed only certain things were relevant to me. Why should I worry about what was happening to the boys when I had enough going on in my own body?

Now that I am older, and more aware of how important comprehensive puberty education is for all kids.

I am thrilled to see efforts being made to teach children about the changes bodies go through in an inclusive, informative and, dare I say, enjoyable experience.

One such effort comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics, whose upcoming book You-ology provides an in-depth look at the changes all bodies go through.

Written by gynecologist Melissa Holmes, MD, FACOG, and pediatricians Trish Hutchison, MD and Kathryn Lowe, MD, FAAP, You-ology is a book guardians will appreciate, and children (ages 9-13) will find appealing.

Adults will love the book’s thorough and fact-driven guides to everything from menstruation to erections. And, young readers will enjoy how a recurring group of characters go through familiar experiences like growth spurts, sprouting hair in new places, and hormonal changes.

Unlike puberty books of the past, You-ology, is truly meant for all genders. Transgender, gender-nonconforming, non-binary and other gender diverse children and their guardians will find a wealth of information on navigating their unique puberty experiences, as will cisgender children and their families.

Beyond teaching young people about puberty, this book provides helpful tips for navigating the more challenging aspects of growing up, such as bullying and what to do when they encounter pornography.

Having a nine-year-old son who is about to go through puberty, and a six-year-old who isn’t far behind, I am grateful to have a copy of You-ology to help myself and my kids better understand what they will be going through on their journey to adulthood.

You-ology will be available for purchase in April 2022.

I am thrilled to see efforts being made to teach children about the changes bodies go through in an inclusive, informative and, dare I say, enjoyable experience. #aap Click To Tweet

Let them read books

Throughout history, adults have worried about what their kids read. On a small scale, this meant parents limiting what is read in the home. On a bigger scale, this has lead to banning books from schools, libraries and other public spaces.

Not long ago, a Tennessee school chose to ban Maus, a graphic novel inspired by real-life events during the Holocaust, for offensive language and imagery. The move was met with much outcry, as many thought banning this book does a disservice to the students who would benefit from reading this account of the Holocaust.

With rare exception, I believe children should have access to literature. I won’t even add the caveat “age appropriate,” because that term is so subjective and the ability to handle mature material varies greatly from child to child. Furthermore, I believe books are a great way to spark hard conversations.

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Finding magic outside the “Magic Kingdom”

Every few months or so, I mull over the idea of planning a family trip to Disney World. I go online, research the best hotels, compare vacation packages and express my interest in Disney to a chorus of responses from friends who are Disney vacation planners, or know people who are Disney vacation planners.

The process overwhelms me, as I am confronted with the reality of how difficult — and expensive — a Disney World trip can be for families, not to mention how hard visiting the Happiest Place On Earth is for anyone traveling outside a very narrow selection of dates.

So, I table my plans and think, maybe another time, all the while wondering if I am depriving my children of some magical experience they will only appreciate when they are young.

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It doesn’t help that my six-year-old has never been that into Disney or most other “fantasy.” I swear the kid was basically born an adult.

My younger son, however, loves princesses and make believe and all things magical.

He is four, which means soon, he too will have no interest in childhood fantasies.

I often worry I’m depriving him of the opportunity to have his dreams come true.

But, then I think about how magic can come from anywhere.

I am reminded simple joys can mean the world to a child.

On a family trip to Mystic, Conn., we decided to drive about 25 minutes away to watch the Connecticut Tigers, a minor-league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. Continue reading

How to encourage free play in an over-scheduled world

Throughout the year, I read many parenting pieces, several of which lament the over-scheduled, too-structured lives of our children. They wax poetic about the good ole days of playing outside until it got dark, inventing wacky games and the general ease of a childhood long gone. In the same pieces, those same writers lament about all of the activities they have to schlep to, the numerous play dates they’d rather not do and how they are exhausted from what they have presumed they must be in today’s parenting climate.

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But, there is hope.

In my short time as a mom, I have seen more push back against the over-scheduled, helicopter-style parenting of the past decade or so. The free-range movement is gaining popularity, and more parents are embracing the idea of “less is more.” We are tired of being tired, and we want our kids to have the less structured childhood we remember so fondly.

If we want our kids to have a “freer” childhood, we have to make it possible. Continue reading

Break the rules, not their spirits

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My mother often calls me, “Miss Law and Order,” not because I work in the legal field, but because, from a young age, I tended to always follow the rules. If my family played a game together, you can bet I observed everyone’s moves closely, lest they attempt to cheat. My mom, who is never one to just go with convention, would chide me for being no fun.

My innate desire for things to abide by a predetermined set of regulations regularly clashes with my desire to let my children engage in free play. I fight my urge to grab the instruction manual and shout, “No, this is how you do it!” Continue reading

Play in the rain

Rainy days were awesome at summer camp. We put on our least favorite clothing (hopefully for our parents’ sake),  find an open space in the middle of the field and plunge on to our bellies. Sliding through the mud we didn’t care how wet and filthy we became. We were kids having fun.

I’m guessing you have a similar story from your childhood. Remember how amazing stomping in puddles felt? The sound of the splashing water. The squishy sensation of your boats. The smell of rain. Continue reading

Girls will fight with their Barbies, and boys will cuddle their G.I. Joes

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Growing up as a girl in America, my life was full of Barbies. Though my memory is somewhat foggy, I am confident I had close to a hundred over the course of my childhood. I loved my Barbies. I loved dressing them in the best of late 80s fashion. I loved playing salon with them, at the expense of many a bad haircut. I loved all the typical girly things one can do with a Barbie.

And, I loved play fighting with them.

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