Who knows why we do it, but parents often put off the hard talks with their kids as long as possible. Puberty is definitely one of those talks. When it comes to girls in particular though, puberty can be a messy and embarrassing experience if you hit it unprepared. Well, sort of, actually a girl hits puberty before actually getting her menstrual period, which is the part that can be messy and embarrassing. Lucky for you, puberty also gives you some great signs of puberty in girls that your daughter may begin getting a monthly gift soon so you can start leaving sanitary items in the bathroom for her, and have a talk at some point about body changes, sex, and anything else she’s curious about.
What are some signs of puberty in girls?
-New hair growth: The hormones associated with puberty can cause hair growth everywhere, not just the private region that no one but your child will notice. You may notice more armpit or leg hair if your daughter is hitting puberty.
-Breast development and weight gain: While many girls begin to develop breasts well before they actually begin menstruating, it is a sign that the hormones associated with puberty are present and taking effect. Breast changes in particular can cause some dramatic body image issues in young girls, so you may want to address this before puberty. On top of breast changes, which are just fat after all, your daughter may also begin to gain weight or change shape in the hip region during puberty.
-A major growth spurt. Your daughter won’t just gain weight at puberty; she’ll also likely experience a boost in height. Typically girls hit puberty around age 10 to 12, so if you notice a major jump in height around that age your daughter may be hitting puberty.
-Dramatic mood swings. That mood swings come with hormonal imbalance is not a little known fact. PMS is famous for mood changes for this very reason. Being that puberty is an extended state of hormonal havoc, your daughter will experience some drastic mood swings as puberty onsets.
The above should help you take a rather educated guess at when a puberty talk is needed, or you can opt to just provide your daughter access to what she needs in case of an emergency period moment and wait until she asks questions of you. It’s really up to your comfort level and relationship with your child; puberty doesn’t care how you handle it. It’s not taking a rain check either way.