Growing Up and Body Changes
FoundationPuberty is the stage from childhood to adulthood: height and weight grow fast, secondary sex characteristics appear, and feelings fluctuate. With good hygiene, rest and exercise, and respect for everyone's own pace, growing up is easier.
- Puberty is a necessary stage towards maturity, usually beginning between eight and twelve, at different times for everyone.
- Hormones drive the growth spurt and the secondary sex characteristics: boys' voices deepen and beards grow; girls' breasts develop and menstruation begins.
- Feelings fluctuate more in puberty; deep breathing, exercise and diary writing all help.
文體小知識：成長教育說明文解釋青春期身體和情緒的變化，明白這些都是成長的必經階段，就能安心面對。
§Text Passage
1Our bodies keep growing. Growth is fastest in early childhood, then slows, and in puberty comes a second fast stage. Puberty usually begins between eight and twelve, at different times for boys and girls and different times for each person. Some start earlier, some later — both are normal.
2Puberty is driven by hormones, and the body changes clearly: height and weight increase faster than before, and in both boys and girls pubic and underarm hair grows and the sweat glands become more active. Boys' voices deepen, their shoulders broaden and a beard begins to grow; girls' breasts develop, their hips become rounder, and menstruation begins. These secondary sex characteristics show the body is moving towards maturity.
3The mind changes too in puberty: feelings fluctuate more, and sometimes we feel irritable for no clear reason; we begin to care what friends think and wish to be treated as grown-up. All this is a normal part of growing up. When confused, read books, ask parents and teachers, keep a diary of feelings, and calm emotions with exercise and music.
4Growing up calls for good personal hygiene: bathe daily, wash soon after exercise, and use deodorant to reduce body odour; brush morning and night, and never squeeze pimples — wash the face with water and a gentle cleanser instead. Eat a balanced diet, sleep enough, exercise daily, and respect classmates' different paces of development, never teasing those who develop earlier or later.
1Summary 重點摘要
Puberty is the stage from childhood to adulthood: height and weight grow fast, secondary sex characteristics appear, and feelings fluctuate. With good hygiene, rest and exercise, and respect for everyone's own pace, growing up is easier.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The stage between childhood and adulthood when body and mind go through many changes.
Chemicals made by the body that drive the growth and changes of puberty.
The features that appear in puberty and differ between the sexes, such as beards in boys and breast development in girls.
The monthly flow that begins in girls during puberty as the womb lining is shed.
The parts of the skin that make sweat; they become more active in puberty.
The smell made when germs on the skin break down sweat; cleanliness reduces it.
The pimples formed when the skin makes extra oil in puberty; never squeeze them.
Inner feelings such as joy, anger, sadness and happiness; they fluctuate more in puberty.
A stage when height and weight grow especially fast; a second one comes in puberty.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Learn when puberty beginsPuberty is the stage when a child's body grows towards adulthood, and it begins at different times for different people. For example, one classmate shoots up at ten, another only begins at twelve; boys and girls differ too. Everyone's pace is different, and all are normal — there is no need to compare with others or worry about growing too early or too late. Starting time is shaped by heredity and nutrition: children of late developers usually develop late too, while balanced food and regular exercise help the body keep its normal rhythm — a little early or late is nothing to worry about.
- Step 2: Know the main body changesDuring puberty the body goes through a series of visible changes, and these are all signs of growing up. For example, growing six to eight centimetres in a year is a growth spurt; a boy's voice deepens, and a girl whose breasts develop should choose a well-fitting vest. Both boys and girls also grow body hair and sweat more, and knowing these changes keeps us from being frightened. The order of changes follows a pattern too: hands and feet grow first, then height, and lastly the trunk settles; boys grow beards and girls begin their periods — learning this from family in advance prevents panic later.
- Step 3: Keep good personal hygieneDuring puberty the body makes more sweat and oil, so personal hygiene matters even more. For example, after PE the uniform is soaked with sweat; bathe and change at home, use deodorant under the arms, and body odour will not trouble you or your classmates. Brushing your teeth and washing your face morning and night, and changing into clean clothes often, keeps you fresh and shows respect for others. Remember simple frequencies: bathe once a day and again after sweaty sport; change toothbrushes every three months and underwear and socks daily; never share combs or towels, so skin infections cannot spread.
- Step 4: Handle pimples properlyDuring puberty the skin makes a lot of oil, so pimples easily appear on the forehead and face — a common sign of growing, nothing to worry too much about. For example, when pimples appear on the forehead, wash morning and night with a gentle cleanser to keep the pores clean, and never squeeze them, which causes inflammation and scars; if serious, ask a doctor instead of buying creams by yourself. Change and wash pillowcases and towels often, for they gather oil and bacteria; a fringe pressed against the forehead also feeds pimples, so pinning the hair back keeps the forehead dry and clean.
- Step 5: Accept changing emotionsBecause hormones change during puberty, feelings rise and fall easily, and we sometimes feel irritable or sad for no reason — this is normal. For example, feeling irritable? Take ten deep breaths, run two laps of the playground, or write the mood in a diary, and it will settle. Learning to accept and express feelings, instead of hiding them or losing temper, helps us get along well with classmates. Scientists find that in puberty the brain's emotion centres mature first, while the parts for reason and self-control ripen only around twenty; teenage impulsiveness is not a flaw of character but a matter of developmental order.
- Step 6: Ask trusted adultsFor questions about growing up, it is best to ask trusted adults rather than guess or believe online rumours. For example, questions about periods or a changing voice can go to mother, father, the class teacher or the school counsellor — they have all been through puberty and can give reliable answers. Asking is nothing to be ashamed of; it shows we want to understand our own bodies. Beyond family and teachers, the school counselling room and the school social worker are reliable channels; Hong Kong also runs counselling hotlines for young people, and questions too awkward to ask face to face can go by phone or text.
- Step 7: Respect differences in growthEveryone grows on a different schedule: some develop early, some late, and both are normal. For example, teasing an early developer for growing too tall, or a late developer for growing too slowly, hurts; everyone grows on their own schedule. We should respect the differences, never joke about body changes, and be considerate, so that everyone can pass through puberty with peace of mind. Practising empathy helps a lot: remembering that we dislike being teased ourselves shows us how others feel; when a classmate is mocked, comfort them privately or tell a teacher so an adult can follow up.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: Ting is eleven, taller than most girls in class, and has begun menstruating. Some classmates laugh and call her strange. Help Ting understand her situation and suggest how to respond.
- Analysis: puberty begins at different times; developing early is normal, and menstruation is a sign of growing towards maturity.
- Emotionally: the teasing comes from ignorance, not from anything wrong; early growth means healthy development.
- In practice: keep menstrual supplies ready, keep clean during periods, and tell a teacher or family member if she feels unwell.
- In response: calmly tell classmates that everyone grows on a different schedule; if teasing continues, inform the class teacher.
- Answer: Ting's development is normal. She should accept the changes, keep clean during periods, and explain confidently; continued teasing can be reported to the teacher.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1At about what age does puberty begin?
Q2What drives the changes of puberty?
Q3What main changes do boys and girls each have in puberty?
Q4How should pimples be handled?
Q5How should we think if classmates tease us for developing early?
8Recap Recap
- Puberty is a necessary stage towards maturity, usually beginning between eight and twelve, at different times for everyone.
- Hormones drive the growth spurt and the secondary sex characteristics: boys' voices deepen and beards grow; girls' breasts develop and menstruation begins.
- Feelings fluctuate more in puberty; deep breathing, exercise and diary writing all help.
- Keep clean: bathe daily, wash the face gently, use deodorant, and never squeeze pimples.
- Respect each person's pace, and ask parents and teachers when troubled.