Times have changed. The "talk" of old - telling your daughter how her body will change in puberty is not an effective way to teach her about life, her body, or about being female.
Today you need to have ongoing conversations.
We have a detailed conversation about puberty and body changes at the Growing up Female I workshop that I lead for groups of girls and adult women. It's up to you, the parents, to continue the conversation with the girl in your life. Here is this month's tip on one way to keep the conversation going:
Take your daughter down the “feminine hygiene” aisle at the store. Look at the variety of products, pick up boxes and packages, and consider what she might want to use. Do this in a couple of different stores. Remember the compact tampons? See if you can find something that is new to both of you that she might find helpful.
There are specific reasons why the Growing up Female workshop is an adult-girl event. Girls need adult women in their lives who will be there and will help them as they maneuver the increasingly complex social realm of growing up female. Forming bonds with multiple adult women and with her mom (or other important adult woman) helps your daughter feel secure and helps her connect so that if she needs help when you aren't around, she knows that there are other women she can go to. AND - for some reason, girls and adult women often have trouble getting the conversation about body changes started. The workshop breaks down those barriers - and gives the girls and adult women a common experience to spring from. It works. I hear back from mothers five years later (and more) that the workshop helped them delve into even deeper and more intimate topics as the years went by.
Mission accomplished.
