Young girls go through changes. Of course boys do too, though not in the same way as the female species. Not only do they have to come to terms with the changes in their body, but they have to tolerate those hormonal changes that make them change from a girl into a woman.

Stresses and strains of growing up in a competitive world are hard for youngsters, who want to be popular, slim, pretty, and when you consider that the majority of young girls are never going to live up to the super model images that present themselves every day of the week on television and magazines, it is no wonder that they find themselves at that junction in the road where they want to be better.

Couple this with puberty, and the sudden realization that the monthly problems they have to go through for the rest of their fertile life will give them discomfort, and the fact that their bodies are also going to be under pressure from peers, and boyfriends, in order to sort out what it right for them, there is little wonder that drama happens, and being there at this most formative time really is important.

Do you want your child to develop, to move smoothly into adulthood ? Nagging is never going to work. What does work is understanding the developments in their body which make them sultry, changeable and difficult, talking to them, being their friend instead of an arch enemy, tolerating their moods, even joking about "that time of the month", and certainly keeping them informed.

Little girls turn into little adults very quickly, and if you are there during that transition period, ready to educate though not too quick to judge, ready to listen and realize that not only are they learning to become a young lady, but that you are learning how to become a capable parent, then you will have taken the step half way to becoming not only their mum, but a friend they can depend on.

Learn more about this author, Rachelle de Bretagne.
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