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Puberty

"There’s more to puberty than hair, mate."

Puberty happens between 12 and 18. During this time the body and mind are going through a lot of changes as we become adult. 

Body:

  • The body undergoes A LOT of changes during puberty. You may find you’re constantly hungry and wanting to sleep in every morning.
  • For boys, some changes during this time include the voice getting deeper, growing hair and getting taller.
  • For girls, changes include growing breasts, growing hair and getting your period.
  • Everyone’s body changes at different times. You might start to feel really self-conscious about your body and maybe even ashamed if you look different to your friends. Remember, these changes are a normal part of growing up and it's nothing to be ashamed about.

Mind:

  • You’ll be working out what your own values and beliefs are and finding your own place in the world.
  • You may feel things way more intensely and have full on mood swings as your hormones change.
  • Everything may seem like a bigger deal.
  • You may care more about what others think and want more privacy at home.
  • You’ll also want more independence and may question people in authority, like parents and teachers.

Relationships:

  • You’ll want to spend more time with mates
  • You’ll be more interested in other people and fitting in will feel really important.
  • You may want to have boyfriends/girlfriends
  • You’ll be way more curious about all things ‘sex’.

Check out The Word – www.theword.org.nz for heaps of awesome info on the body, sex and relationships. You can also ring the Family Planning Information Line on 0800 4636 5463 to hear more about what Family Planning can offer and about accessing free sexual healthcare at your nearest FP clinic. 

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