Hello mama's, my little girl is 8 today and we had her yearly check up yesterday. While there our doctor suggested that I start telling her about all the changes to come in the next few years and even about periods - YIKEES!! I really thought that I had a couple of more years before that. But he pointed out to me that even though she may not start her period for a few years (everyone in my family was 12 or 13), but she may have friends that will start young, since some girls are as young as 9. I'm looking for a good book to help me with this. Nothing to graphic or too detailed. Something with just the basics that will be enough for an 8 year old. She knows about hair growing and boobs getting bigger as she gets older, but we have really kept her in the dark about other stuff. And the "other stuff" is what I don't really know how to explain to her.
Thanks for your help!!
The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls is a very age appropriate book that gives details but doesn't go to far.
It also talks about nutrition, hygiene and other stuff.
be as honest as possible! explain that you are telling her, because some of her friends might start their periods soon and she will eventually too. im sure she has noticed that you have pads or tampons around the house and explain what those are for. i can say from experience, i was an early bloomer. i started my period at 9 and was also filling out an A cup. i know that when we started sex ed in school (they do it in 4th grade with the basics in oregon where we lived at the time) people teased me constantly because of my chest and i could feel myself blushing while they talked about periods because it seemed like i was the only one. but then it ended up all but 1 of my kids had started their period by the end of 5th grade. its happening a lot quicker now and you dont want her to be scared.
Get "What's Happening to my Body", and read it together. I'm a certified health educator and would be happy to message with you if you need further details. Once you open an honest, truthful dialogue with her--don't be anxious because she'll sense it--she'll sense she can discuss things with you in the future. Never judge her questions or ask "where'd you hear that?!?!" in a nasty/questioning/judgemental tone. Rather, explain--then discuss what kids are talking about at school...as opposed to looking shocked (that is sometimes difficult to do)...which tends to make kids NOT want to discuss things with their parents. I'm the child of a feminist 60's hippie and told my mom and dad EVERYTHING (still do, I'm 31 now)...it works, I swear...open dialogue, no judgement and listen!
Hey, S.! You probably have enough responses by now, but I am such a fan of the American Girl Book...the care and keeping of you, I felt the need to reiterate what the other moms have said. It is wonderful! My stepdaughter and I got this book when she was 9, just after her dad and I got married. It gave us something to share and a way to connect that was so needed. We read some together, some of it she read then we chatted, but either way it opened up conversation for us we might not have otherwise had. She is now 17 and when she wants to "talk" to someone about female stuff or boy stuff, she will call ME from 7 hours away. I truly believe much of that stems from our discussing these issues in a tender, caring manner that started from this book. I have a 4 yr old I will be introducing this book to one day. I pray it will allow my younger daughter and myself to be able to discuss anything and everything. Look at this conversation as the beginning of many mother/daughter talks and secrets that belong to only you two. It's an exciting beginning to a new part of your relationship!
There was an American Girl Book that I bought several years ago. I do not know if it is still out there but we loved it. We read a chapter or 2 every night for a couple of weeks and talked about what we read. If I remember correctly it had all kinds of information about hygiene, periods, body changes.
Good luck, I hope the book is still out there because several moms recommended it to me.
"the care and keeping of you" from the american girl series. It's perfect!
Good Morning S., I bought my Gr daughter a book about 2 yrs ago, she is 10 now, that is super. I believe it's Called My Body and Me. I got it at Wal Mart, it is excellent!!
It does go into some detail, except it does it in a kid friendly way.
You might look on www.barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com for a used one or new. Alot of stores will order it for you. It was, I think $15.00?
I don't know why mom's have such a hard time explaining this part of a girls life. My mom sure had a hard time about explaining anything related to periods or sex or having babies. I was told one day your gonna bleed and it's normal so use this when it happens(the old kotex and belt routine). So I asked a neighbor girl who was a year or 2 older then me what she meant.
I heard more about Sex listening to my mom talk to my younger brother the night before I got married then I had heard in my 19 yrs. What an eye opener the why she told it...lol I knew, but was still naive being a virgin.
This is a normal part of a young girls life, changing from a little girl into a young lady. It means our bodies are doing exactly as God planned. We may not like it and want to ask God WHY ME Why not HIM!!! reason he couldn't take the discomfort.......lol We get the boobs they stare at then we marry one...lol Sorry couldn't help my self!!
Look for the book and it will be something you can read together and talk about easier.
God Bless you S., your little girl has a wonderful mom who really wants to do things right!!
K. Nana of 5
It seems most girls are starting around 10 now when 30 years ago it was 12 and 13. And she probably has heard something.
In my experience, she probably already knows way more than you think she does. I've always been open with my kids on anything they ask, giving them only the information that is necessary to answer their question. On occasion something comes up the requires more information. For instance, I had a hysterectomy this past summer... my big kids understood mostly, but the two younger ones needed more explanation as to what was going to happen. For my 6 yr old boy simply saying "mommy has all the babies she needs, so the doctor is taking the stuff out that would let mommy have more babies because it is making mommy sick now." For my 9 year old, she had more questions so I asked her what she knew about periods and stuff that girls go through. She suprised me by saying she already knew about that, so I asked her to tell me what she knew to make sure she was accurate. For the most part she had it right. She learned this from older girls on the play ground and from her cousin.
My suggestion is to go to your health department or doctors office and pick up the simple facts pamplets that they have. A kid won't usually read a whole book, but these pamplets have the basics and offer web sites and book suggestions too.
Personally I find it easy enough to just take whatever opportunity I have to talk to my kids. Some stuff is harder than others,but starting young and keeping the lines open is easier than suddenly bringing it up when they are 12 or 14. I've had the sex and your body talks with a one son and one daughter and the what's going on with your body talk with my younger daughter.
Always be honest. Tell them if you are a little uncomfortable, but that you know it is important that they get the facts from you. The best place for me to talk to my kids is in the van on the way home from activities. They don't have to look me in the face, but I can catch a glimpse of them in the rearview mirror. I've had many talks about hard subject with my kids this way and it usually leads to a face to face talk after.
Good luck and happy parenting.
There is a book by American Girl that tells a girl all aboit that stuff. I had it for my daughter when she was 7 or 9 and I am glad I did because she started her period and she knew what to do. I think it was called All About You or About you, If I find it I can send it to you, OK? D.
The Body Book by American Girl Dolls is great. It covers everything in a gentle way. My girls really responded to it because of their familiarity and trust in American Girl dolls. They were "grossed out" by the tampon explanations and picture, but the pictures are drawn and not graphic.
Go to the library website and type in menstruation as a subject and you will get several hits. We did this with both of my girls and then we went thru the book "preparing your daughter for every woman's battle" by Shannon Ethridge, there is one for boys too. It is a great book that you read first and then go thru the second part with your daughter. It has helped my daughters greatly. Good luck and God Bless.
You've gotten a lot of great suggestions here for books for your daughter. I just want to say please, however you do it, talk to her. Don't just hand her the book and walk away. My mom didn't tell me about ANYTHING that was or would be happening to me. After I started my period, she handed me a book and then walked off. Yeah, really helpful. I'm an adult now, and have a 4 year old son, and no matter how strange the questions he asks, or how weird it will get, I'll always answer him as honestly as I can, and let him know he can always talk to me. The most important thing you can do to keep your daughters on the right track is make sure they're well informed, probably before you think they need to be, and keep the lines of communication open. Good luck to you & your girls!
