Table Of ContentR O B E R T W I N S T O N
SEXUALITY
SOCIAL MEDIA
CONFIDENCE BULLYING
Puberty and adolescence can be a confusing and complex
time. Help Your Kids with Growing Up ofers straightforward, HELP YOUR KIDS WITH
sensitive advice to help parents and children survive and thrive
in the turbulent teenage years. Emotional well-being, physical
changes, online safety, family dynamics, relationships, sexuality,
and much more are discussed and explained through
jargon-fre text and simple, clear ilustrations. GROWING UP
Also from DK
EMOTIONS
STRESS
ROBERT
£14.99
WINSTON
A NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO
PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE
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HELP YOUR
KIDS WITH GROWING UP
HELP YOUR KIDS WITH
GROWING UP
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HELP YOUR KIDS WITH
GROWING UP
A NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO
PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE
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Lead Editor Amanda Wyatt
Senior Designer Michelle Staples
Project Editor Steven Carton
Editors Niki Foreman, Emma Grundy Haigh
Designer Sean Ross
Editorial Assistant Sophie Parkes
Illustrators Edwood Burn, Claire Joyce, Michael Parkin
Managing Editor Lisa Gillespie
Managing Art Editor Owen Peyton Jones
Producer, Pre-production Gillian Reid
Senior Producers Mandy Inness, Anna Vallarino
Jackets Designers Suhita Dharamjit,
Juhi Sheth, Surabhi Wadhwa
Senior DTP Designer Harish Aggarwal
Jackets Editorial Coordinator Priyanka Sharma
Jacket Editor Claire Gell
Jacket Design Development Manager Sophia MTT
Category Publisher Andrew Macintyre
Associate Publishing Director Liz Wheeler
Art Director Karen Self
Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf
First published in Great Britain in 2017 by
Dorling Kindersley Limited
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL
Copyright © 2017 Dorling Kindersley Limited
A Penguin Random House Company
2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1
001-299754-July/2017
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior
written permission of the copyright owner.
A CIP catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-2412-8725-5
Printed and bound in China
A WORLD OF IDEAS:
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW
www.dk.com
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CONSULTANT
PROFESSOR ROBERT WINSTON
Robert Winston is a world-renowned scientist, who has combined groundbreaking academic work with a flair for communicating
science to the general public. The icon of many British TV series, his pioneering work in the field of human fertility has helped dozens of
childless couples have “miracle babies” and earned him an international reputation. He is Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus
Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London. He became a life peer of the House of Lords in 1995.
CONTRIBUTORS
LAVERNE ANTROBUS
Laverne Antrobus is a consultant child and educational psychologist. Having trained at the prestigious Tavistock Clinic in London,
she then worked in Local Authorities and the National Health Service (NHS). Laverne appears on television, radio, and in print
media. She has made programmes on childhood for the BBC and currently appears on the CBeebies Grown-ups website.
TERESA DAY MSC, RGN, RMN
Teresa Day trained and qualified as both a general nurse and a mental health nurse. She has spent most of her career working in the
field of adolescent health, including carrying out research into relationships and sex education for her Masters dissertation. In her
current role she supports and trains school staff, specializing in emotional health and well-being, and relationship education.
PROFESSOR SONIA LIVINGSTONE OBE
Sonia Livingstone is a professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political
Science. She’s author of 20 books on kids’ online opportunities and risks, including “The Class: Living and Learning in the Digital Age”. She
advises the UK government, European Commission, and Council of Europe on children’s rights in digital environments. She directs the
projects “Global Kids Online” and “Parenting for a Digital Future” and founded the EU Kids Online research network.
DR RADHA MODGIL
Dr Radha Modgil is a practising NHS doctor in London. She broadcasts across all platforms, online, TV, and radio, including The Surgery on
BBC Radio 1. A campaigner for physical and mental well-being, Radha educates in a creative and fun way, encouraging people to stay
healthy. She appeared as the medical reporter for “The Sex Education Show” on Channel 4, and “Make My Body Younger” on BBC3. She is
a medical expert for BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Asian Network, LBC, and Radio 1’s Newsbeat.
SARAH PAWLEWSKI MSC
Sarah Pawlewski is a careers adviser with more than 20 years’ experience. She runs her own consultancy – career-directions.co.uk – and
works with clients of all ages across schools, colleges, universities, and industry. She also teaches careers guidance courses at degree
level. Sarah holds degrees in careers guidance and in psychology. She is the principal author of “The Careers Handbook” published by DK.
DR KAREN RAYNE
Dr Karen Rayne has worked in sexuality education for almost two decades. She focuses on writing curriculum, training sexuality
educators, and writing books. Her most recent book is “GIRL: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You”. She has worked with The Center for
Sex Education, the New York Department of Education, Girls Inc, the American Psychological Association, and the UNFPA, among
others. She is also the associate editor of the American Journal of Sexuality Education.
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Foreword
Growing up, the transition from being a child to becoming a young adult, is one
of the most amazing stages in a human’s whole life. The key to this transition is
what is happening in our brains. These changes affect our attitudes and our
thinking. They can alter our likes and dislikes, our moods, sleep patterns, and
temperaments. We start to see the world, and to relate to other people, in new
ways. We want to make our own decisions, we expect independence, we develop
new desires, we may want to take risks, and our hopes and aspirations mature for
our futures as adults. It’s hardly surprising that our emotions may be volatile and
sometimes unpredictable. From the start of puberty as we travel through
adolescence, we’re on a bumpy roller coaster, and the experience is exhilarating,
exciting, and sometimes scary.
One of the most important, puzzling, and challenging aspects of growing up is
our sexual development. Soon after puberty, we produce eggs or sperm. This
means we are capable of reproducing – we can have children of our own. These
hormonal, physical, and sexual changes occur a bit unpredictably and quite
rapidly so most of us feel self-conscious and shy. Suddenly, we develop hair in
private places, our armpits become smelly, and as we worry about our
appearance we might get embarrassing spots. For a girl, having periods can be
embarrassing at first, as well as a bit frightening. As a teenager at my local
swimming pool, I felt threatened by larger, older boys. The changing room was a
place of anxiety as I compared myself and my development to theirs. It’s difficult
not to feel inferior and nervous during such a turbulent time when our bodies
don’t seem our own and our identities are in flux.
Sex and sexuality involve private and profoundly personal emotions. Even
though we’ve had and raised our children, we parents often find it difficult to talk
openly about sex. So we shouldn’t be surprised when our growing children feel
equally awkward. This is one key reason for developing this book. There is, of
course, a vast amount of information about the “facts of life” out there already.
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Social media, the Internet, and teenage friends can all be sources of
information, and of misinformation. But a book like this, which is packed with
information suitable for a range of ages and to which I and so many other
leading experts have contributed, can broach tricky topics sensitively and
accurately. Whether leaving primary school or doing A-level biology, some
young people may wish to read parts of this book on their own, in private.
Similarly, many parents may want to dip into these pages by themselves before
sharing the contents with their kids whenever they feel it’s appropriate. By
encouraging communication between parents and their children, we hope
that many teenagers can approach this most exciting stage in life with
confidence and enjoyment, while feeling supported and understood.
ROBERT WINSTON
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4 Healthy body
Contents
Keeping clean 60
Sweat and smells 62
Body hair 64
Spots 66
Healthy eating 68
Foreword by Robert Winston 6 Eating disorders 70
How to use this book 10 Body image 72
Exercise 74
Sleep 76
1 Growing up Teen ailments 78
Teen brains 14
Identity 16 5 Healthy mind
Thinking independently 18
Mood swings 20 Positive mental health 82
Self-expression 22 Emotions 84
Gender 24 Confidence and self-esteem 86
Introversion and extroversion 88
Resilience 90
2 Female puberty Stress 92
Anxiety and depression 94
What is puberty? 28 Panic attacks and phobias 96
Female hormones 30 Self-harm 98
Changing body 32
Female sex organs 34
The menstrual cycle 36 6 Achieving potential
Sanitary care 38
Breasts 40 School life 102
Bras 42 Exams and revision 104
Problem solving 106
Hobbies and interests 108
3 Male puberty Money matters 110
Goals and ambitions 112
What is puberty? 46 Careers advice 114
Male hormones 48 Types of career 116
Changing body 50 Going to university 118
Testicles 52 Alternatives to university 120
The penis 54 Getting a job 122
Breaking voices 56 Speaking up 124
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