Preteen body awareness
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Minerva Cano, A Health Educator for Planned Parenthood, shares advice for parents on how to help their preteen child when his or her body begins to change
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The most important things that every preteen should know are that their bodies are going to change.
How and when that might happen is important for them to know. For example, a young lady should know when she is going to menstruate, and if that happens, what she should use for menstruation. She should know about tampons. She should know about feminine napkins. She should know how to protect herself. She should also know that her breasts are going to grow and it may be a little bit painful for them when they start growing.
For males, they should know that their genitalia is going to grow and that they will start ejaculating or having nocturnal emission, or wet dreams, as we call them. That is something that is very normal for them. They are not urinating in the bed. It's something that every single male will go through some time in their life.
They also need to know that this happens for everybody at their own time. Some people may start a little earlier, and some people might start a little later. They also need to know, for males, their voice is going to change. They are going to grow hair in different parts of their body. That's important for them to know. They are going to be some sexual feelings that they are going to have. That's part of growing up and part of the hormones that are coming into their lives.
Minerva Cano, A Health Educator for Planned Parenthood, shares advice for parents on how to help their preteen child when his or her body begins to change
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Minerva CanoHealth Educator
Minerva Cano has served as a Health Educator in the Parent and Adult Program at Planned Parenthood, Los Angeles since 2010. Prior to joining Planned Parenthood, Minerva directed an elementary school family resource center for 10 years. There she helped families obtain the necessary resources for their chlidren to excel in school.
As a mother of two, Minerva understands the importance of parent-child communication, particularly in the area of sexuality, puberty and relationships. As a memeber of Planned Parenthood's Parent and Adult Health Education team, Minerva and her colleagues work every day to help parents gain the knowledge and confidence they need to engage their children in these important converstations. Through presentations in homes, schools, churches, temples and community oraginizations parents are taught how to answer their children's questions openly and honestly.
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