Today, fewer schools have a dedicated sex education programme to help teenagers understand the changes that their bodies are going through. In fact, those that do don’t always cover other aspects to this phase such as body development and sexuality. A lot of girls use the internet now to get information about periods and changing bodies, but this is such an impersonal way to learn about something so important and could be providing wrong information in the case of some sites. However, there is some fantastic information out there that can help to boost the confidence and self esteem of young girls who may be having a hard time navigating hormones and puberty. But for young girls who are blooming earlier than their peers, this can be an especially difficult time. They may feel extremely self conscious and fearful of bullying about their new body, and this is a vital time when they’ll need all the information they can get in terms of understanding that these changes are perfectly normal. Everyone goes through the scary puberty stage, but we all get through it and come out unscathed on the other side – it’s simply part of growing up, no matter when it begins for your child.
In today’s hyper-sexualised culture, ‘blooming’ seems like the last thing that’s happening. It seems like all girls are being sexualised far too early and being forced to change what’s natural to them in order to fit the media’s idea of ‘normal’. It no doubt feels as though your child is coming into this phase too early, particularly if they are now going through puberty too, but it’s perfectly natural to feel anxiety during this stage. Both mums and daughters will be worried about the changes coming into play. Earlier and earlier puberty in teens these days means this issue is in the press a lot – we always seem to be hearing about the fact that kids are growing up too fast, both emotionally and physically. In the United States, for example, the average age for a girl to get her period is now around 12.5 years old. The processes that occur in the body are also happening earlier, such as the breast bud development, with many girls developing breasts as early as elementary school. The culture of periods being bad and shameful makes many girls anxious, but this is something to reassure early bloomers about so that they feel able to tackle the changes about to take place.
No matter when you or your daughter would like it to happen though, your child’s body will develop when it is ready. Nurturing encouragement is vital at this stage, as is providing as much information as your daughter needs. As with anyone going through puberty, whatever age it happens, a nutritious diet, plenty of sleep and exercise are all necessary for a healthy body. But it’s not all about the physical side – you need to ensure that they are emotionally healthy too, and this means making sure they have an open communication with you and people they trust. Many teens, and especially children developing early, feel isolated and self conscious, but this is a prime time for parents to step in and ensure that they nurture their children. It may be a frightening time for both mother and daughter, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing that can’t be tackled with an open relationship between you both.