Elkan and I agree that the biggest challenge, for a mother raising daughters (I have four, aged between 16 and 25) is managing the space between you in a positive way. The truth, and I often say this to friends with daughters, is that it’s probably a lot easier to parent four of them than one, for the simple reason that I have a wider investment, which means I can often be a lot more relaxed. Here in the UK, it’s a bit more hush hush and it seems like it’s mainly up to us parents to find resources for our children to read about growing up and puberty. Of course, these days you can also finds things on the internet, but I think it’s best if children read an actual book written by a professional rather than a mix of things online.

This is because online sources can often provide a mixed bag of information, and it can be difficult to discern what’s accurate and reliable. By contrast, a book written by a professional from PenFellow book writing service is likely to be well-researched, informative, and provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter, such as the complex and sensitive topic of puberty. It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender, and Sexual Health by Robie H. Harris So often, ‘puberty’ is couched as a ‘problem’ time, when in fact it’s a time of extraordinarily positive change, opportunity, growth and the recognising of potential. It’s about life opening out, and it’s about creating a meaningful future – and although things aren’t perfect for girls growing up today, they are better than they’ve ever been before, for a significant number of the world’s teenagers. (Illustration: Flo Perry/Bloomsbury) In general, most girls get their periods an average of 2 – 2 ½ years after the development of breast buds. The development of breast buds is a great opportunity to talk more about body changes yet to come. Emphasize that periods are normal, are part of having a healthy body, and are nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Girls may feel apprehensive about painful periods or anxious that their classmates will find out. While every girl is different, a reassuring approach and adequate information can often relieve some of the anxiety girls may feel about periods.When thinking about healthy lifestyle and weight gain, remember that habits like physical activity and healthy eating develop very early―the same goes for the development of Bailey learns] about something more important than material gifts: the love and support of a family. Recommended." - Video Librarian Consider your personal beliefs and how much you are comfortable sharing with your daughter. For example, some families are open and frank about sexuality, menstruation, masturbation, etc., while others may wish to dish information in small segments. Yes. As youth are growing taller, it's normal to gain weight. Rising amounts of estrogen in the body also cause fat to deposit in the hips and breasts, and the overall percentage of body fat increases in girls as they go through puberty. Weight gain that is more than expected during puberty could be a cause for concern, though. Your pediatrician will look for whether your child's weight gain crosses percentile lines on her If you talk about your weight issues all the time, or judge yourself on how your legs look or the colour of your hair, what message are you giving your daughters?

We all want, as Elkan rightly says, a better life for our daughters than the one we had. But what this often means is that we interfere, we hover, we over-invest, and we project our own ideas, disappointments, tragedies and shortcomings into their existence. There is some debate on this. The short answer to this question: maybe. It's clear that the starting age for puberty has decreased over the last 150 years, likely related to improved nutrition. Trends in puberty over the last 40 years are less clear. Some studies suggest that puberty is starting earlier in the United States and Europe. A New York story weighs love against material wealth. Hit the sidewalks of New York with a girl named Margot and a Dalmatian pup named Bailey. Both are on their best behavior in anticipation of their shared birthday celebration. Students will feel Bailey's keen disappointment when all he gets for his birthday is a kiss and a bandanna. And they will rejoice with Bailey's realization that the love and support of his family are more important than material gifts. This DVD is a word for word match of the storybook. Bea's story takes students to the Loire Valley of France where they will visit a beehive, a country market, and the famous Chateau of Villandry. Illustrator Andra Chase has created delicately beautiful scenes of Bea’s world inside and outside her hive.It’s an easy to read book, written in a friendly way. It covers lots of topics around puberty and how the mind and body change – how, when and why this will happen, how you might feel, what happens to both boys and girls, gender identity, periods, hygiene, healthy habits and much, much more. It’s exactly the kind of book that I enjoyed reading as a nearly teen and I’m sure young girls these days will love this book. Being an advocate for eco friendly period products, I was happy to see these mentioned in the book too. Is your child already showing an interest or concern about what is happening to their body, or are these changes not even on their radar yet? There is nothing wrong with preparing a child for what will start happening, but too much information too soon may make them nervous or even scared. For us mums, being aware that we are separate from our girls is essential; so too is realising how crucial our role-modelling is of how to be an adult woman. It's much better for your daughter to be informed about her body early on in the process of puberty than to be surprised or even scared as these changes happen. It can also be helpful to have sanitary napkins available ahead of time and explain how to use them before her first period arrives. too much screen time. Ask your pediatrician for ideas on how to incorporate healthy habits into your family's everyday routines. I want my 9-year-old daughter to be prepared for her first period, but she's so young! When should I start talking to her about periods?