Girls always start to notice changes to their bodies before boys do. A lot of them may have questions about these changes, but many may not ask them freely. As such, if you start to notice the changes in your daughter, you might want to start talking to them about what to expect and, more importantly, what to do.
Get talking early
Girls start to experience changes to their bodies earlier than boys, with some early bloomers needing to deal with them by the time they are eight. As such, you should be ready to talk about your experiences at their age or slightly older or younger. Make the time to talk, initiate the conversation, and make it clear that everything is natural and okay. Make it clear that you’re also always available to talk to if she experiences any changes she’s uncertain about.
Give her practical lessons
Of course, you have the benefit of years of experience to help her navigate the practical side of puberty, as well. You can teach her all about sanitation, including helping her choose and understand how things like tampons and panty pads work. You can take her out bra shopping, explaining their purpose. You can give her tips on keeping the things she needs in her locker or backpack. What’s more, you should make sure that she expects periods. The sight of blood can naturally be frightening to a young woman, especially when it comes from such an intimate place, so you want her to know that’s going to happen and what a healthy period looks like.
Dealing with emotional changes
The changes related to puberty aren’t all happening below the neck. There’s plenty of emotional development that comes with it, a lot of it due to the flush of hormones. Mood swings can become more common, and children are more prone to issues such as anxiety and depression, especially girls. Talk to your daughter about her mental health and mood, and make sure that she has your support can help her feel like she has at least one place for stability in her life when it feels like everything else is in flux.
Be open, honest, and reassuring
Most important of all, you should make sure that you are there to reassure your child as they grow into a young woman. Insecurity is part and parcel of puberty for a lot of girls, especially as their appearance starts to change. Aside from being there to let her know that girls experience puberty differently and at different times and that she’s doing just fine, you might want to take her to a doctor to help answer the questions she has asked you but in a more authoritative and informed manner, too, if she’s comfortable with it.
Puberty, sexual maturity, and the changes that come with the teenage years need not be taboo subjects. If you can start talking to your daughters about it now, they will be sure to rely on your more as they grow older, too, which can help keep them safe and smart.
