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If you have a daughter between the ages of 9 and 13 years old, you might be wondering how it's possible that she's already growing into a young woman. That's right, this is the age when most girls experience puberty, and while it might be hard for you to accept, it's important you start talking to her about the changes she's going to experience.

You'll especially want to point out that there's a natural variation in when girls develop so that she's not insecure about developing too fast -- or not quickly enough -- compared with her peers.

Generally, girls begin puberty with breast development, which starts as lumps under the nipples. Girls begin to grow hair under their arms,...

If you have a daughter between the ages of 9 and 13 years old, you might be wondering how it's possible that she's already growing into a young woman. That's right, this is the age when most girls experience puberty, and while it might be hard for you to accept, it's important you start talking to her about the changes she's going to experience.

You'll especially want to point out that there's a natural variation in when girls develop so that she's not insecure about developing too fast -- or not quickly enough -- compared with her peers.

Generally, girls begin puberty with breast development, which starts as lumps under the nipples. Girls begin to grow hair under their arms, on their legs, and around the genitals. Their bodies change as well. They generally go through a growth spurt and develop wider hips and a smaller waist. Due to hormonal changes, girls begin menstruation usually between 9 and 16 years old.

You might consider providing your daughter with some helpful books that will answer her questions about development, such as "Changing Bodies, Changing Lives," "Our Bodies, Ourselves," and "What?s Happening to My Body? Book for Girls: A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Daughters."

These books can provide a common language for you to talk about puberty, and also about dating and sex. It is important to preview any books before your discussion to make sure they are consistent with your values.

It's also important that you talk to your daughter about menstruation. This can be a scary thing for girls if they haven't prepared for it! Have feminine hygiene products available and make sure your daughter knows how to use them.

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Jun 3, 2008 at 1:22:56 PM

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jlbammjrb
June 11, 2008

My doughter

My eleven year old daughter has already been through (or going through now) all her puberty. Her breast are bigger than her peers and she gets upset about it. This year at her school some girl started a rumor that she put stuff in her...  read more

Not Acceptable?

mariamcman
January 09, 2008

Hydrogen peroxide

When I first got my period the absolute worst part of it was the shame associated with the unavoidable stains that happen. My mom made me scrub and scrub and it was awful and I felt terrible that I could never get them out. Later in life...  read more

Not Acceptable?