Puberty already?

[momto3]

My daughter is 9 1/2 years old. I swear she is hormonal. One moment she is happy and the next she is running up the stairs to her room crying that we all hate her. Is it early for this? She is my oldest and I know that it is approaching that time, but I do not think I am ready! I hate to see her grow up so fast.

Any advice? Thanks!

[Sabriel]

1. She's on the cusp.

Mine just turned 10 and already has a bra(let). And she went through the same mood swings as yours. However, the swings were exacerbated by school/friend stress, so something else might be bugging her, too.

[momto3]

2. Thanks.

I noticed her friends wearing bras, even though they have not started developing breasts. I don't want to push her into growing up to fast. It seems to me that girls are trying to become teenagers much younger these days. Or maybe I just do not remember well enough when I was that age.

[tigereye]

5. I encountered a 10 year old who was determined to shave her legs since all

the other girls were doing so already - that was pretty wild. Her mom said no, and sometimes maybe that's what more parents should do...

[MrsMatt]

6. I bought my daughter bras at age 10 (grade 5) - even though she

hadn't developed yet. I told her that it was her choice to wear them; that I was giving her an opportunity to try them out and get used to the idea before it was necessary (she immediately began to wear them). About 8 months later, she needed them. By that time, it was second nature for her to wear them and alleviated quite a bit of her self-consciousness about her changing body.

She hasn't menstruated yet, but I've also given her tampons and mini pads. I've explained to her why she will need them, how they work, and when the time comes that she needs them, she can come to me and I'll help her to make the choice as to which method she is comfortable using. Currently, they sit unused in a drawer (except for the few she'd taken out to explore and experiment with).

My daughter doesn't do well with change, so I give her a long training period by providing her with knowledge and the tools of the trade (so to speak) of being a woman. Puberty is hell - all of a sudden, your body rebels and doesn't "do" what it used to. It has a mind of its own. By preparing her ahead of time, and giving her the idea and allowing her to accept it at her own pace, I'm trying to give her a little control over her increasingly crazy world.

Part of my philosophy is rooted in my own personal experiences, another part is a determination to allow my daughter to take charge of her femininity, and the final part is just practical.

Good luck!

[AwakeAtLast]

3. My daughter is very emotional

and she's only 7. We just deal with it as best we can and tell ourselves that this will help us be ready in three years.

Every child is different, but there was a girl I went to school with who started menstruating at age nine (not trying to scare you!). Unfortunately it happened at school, she didn't know anything about what was happening, and teachers had to explain. This was in 1980.

[tigereye]

4. it starts so much earlier than when some of us were kids

I have a boy who's now 13 - and most of it is occasional 'attitude' but generally not a big problem.


I think being supportive and patient will help - I don't think kids usually understand what their bodies are going through. Good luck!