My dd is 12 she will be 13 in a couple of weeks. She started her time last weekend and it lasted for nearly 7 days. She really has had no mood swings she is just as sweet as she has ever been. I hope she never has mood swings. I have heard that girls take afer their mothers or grandmothers. My dd didn't take after me she took after her grandmother, see I did not start my times until I was almost 16. My goodfriend has a set of twin girls that are 14 and a 12 daughter. She also has a 16, 18, 10 year old sons.
Oh my! Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. We have been gone on a vacation. All of you were right. My 10 yr. old started her period. A couple of things tiped me off. My dd became very moody, had light stomach cramps, and her face broke out. Here's a question for those of you who started at an early age. How can I help her deal with it. She was so happy it came, but it hasn't came this month. She is worried it won't come back. I reassure it will. My dd is as tall as a 13 year old and has developed like one also. These changes are coming so quickly. I am praying for guidance. I guess what I'm asking is what do you wish or what did your mom say that helped? or did something else help you cope better. Thank you so much for your help with this. Sincerely, Melanie
I don't remember being talked to, really. Talk to your daughter all she wants so she's comfortable during this time. Try to help her understand and be able to recognize when pms symptoms strike.
Do I ever feel like a fish out of water with this one - the only mood swings in my home are from me - unless of course you call the "I'm not getting my own way" tantrums part of it in which there seem to be many. I'm the only gal in this house (although boys/men seem to have their own little mood swing mode). I don't think there's a simple answer to the question you ask (and look who's offering the advice :roll: ). All I can suggest is to give her up front, honest, age appropriate knowledge. I can't imagine having to tell a child at the age of 10 about the human cycles - but the sooner you start, the better prepared you will be when the questions roll in. This doesn't mean you have to spill the beans about everything you know, let your heart (and your gut) guide you. It's not an easy task, but one that children want to hear about from their parents. If we don't arm them with the right information, somebody else will - and it might not be the greatest information. We had issues here this year with the way the public school system wanted to present sexual health education. They were all for the tell it all approach (how to make an oral dam included) while parents disagreed. As parents we fought tooth and nail to have an abstinence based program implemented, some changes were made, but the material is still repulsive at best. To tie this to your question, be honest with your daughter about the facts of life. She needs the truth from you (age appropriate) in a loving gentle manner. If you can get past this touchy topic, I believe you can handle anything. If you don't give her the correct information, someone is waiting in the side lines to give it to her. Brenda
I sure hope my dd takes after me, in when she starts anyway. I started when I was 14, but once I started I had cramps so bad that my mom gave me codeine one time and it did nothing. THAT part I hope she doesn't take after!!! My mom had horrible cramps also when she was young. My sister did not, but she started earlier, so who knows?! I recently heard of a study that said that less meat and dairy products and more plant-type foods can help delay it. The casein (sp?) in the animal products messes with the hormones, and triggers things to start that process. Just food for thought. Anyone else heard that?
Brenda, you are so right! I told my dd very small amounts of information and then let her ask questions. At first, she didn't have any, but then a few days later she came to me with many. I am only telling the questions to ya'll so that it might help others. She asked," How often she would get her period, When to change her pad, What causes her to have one (very general answer), How much flow is normal, and can anybody tell she has it, and why me? "They were very normal questions I thought. She has calmed down a bit since our talk, but every once in a while her hormones rage. She is getting acne pretty bad and is getting embarrassed about that. She isn't allowed to drink caffeinated drinks. So, I am limiting her chocolate intake. Deena, That is so very interesting because I was told that chicken has a very high dose of hormones in it. My dd loves chicken. The chickens are raised so quickly now I guess we would have to be absorbing the hormones the chickens are given. God bless, Melanie
Malanee, my dd looks like a 10 year old even though she is 13. She is 4' 9" talled and weighs 85 pounds. At her last doctors appt. 4 months ago, she only weighted 75 lbs. but her height seems to have stopped, but her weight keeps going up. I had hoped that she would be taller than I am , I 'm only 4' 11". She hasn't grown any in the past year. I was told by her doctor when she started her time she would stop growing. There is a small chance that she may grow 1 to 2 inches. I guess each child is different in size and developement. My ds is fixing to be 11 in 5 days, and he looks like a 7 year old. He is only 4' 2" talled and weighs 60 lbs. He still wears a size 6-7. I really hope that he starts growing soon. Because when I tell people his age, they look at me like I am telling a lie. My best childhood friend started when she was 9, and I didn't until I was 15. She was a year younger than I was, and looked like she was 2 years older than me. Very tall and had bloomed out early at age 7 she wore a bra, not a training bra either. I wore a training bra until I was 14. I have always been very small, and now my dd looks like she will be too.
Vicky, I was always the smallest, or close to the smallest one in school. My friends commented on how small I was, and my grandma called me "Dinky". That was just how I was---the baby of the family and little. Then puberty hit me at age 13/14, and I grew 4 inches in one summer. In 8th grade I was about the smallest and in the front row of our school choir. In the 9th grade I was in that same choir, but in the back row! That was hard for me to switch from being the smallest to being one of the tallest! I just kept growing after that, and ended up being 5' 9" (The funny thing is, my mom and dad both were also 5'9")! So there COULD be hope for your kids yet, depending on genes of course!
Don't be scared until you have to be. I have a 16 yr old who has never mouthed at me, or done any of the other "usual teenage" stuff. He was the most difficult toddler known to man, but we conquered it then and it's paid off I guess. He's great now. My 12 1/2 yr old is following in his footsteps. The worst problem I have with her is that she simply can NOT keep her room clean! Glenda
empty threats are worse than doing nothing at all. The kids see that you don't mean what you say and then what power do you have? jmho Glenda
there is growth hormone in beef and in milk. We buy milk that does NOT have it in it, unfortunately our beef does but I try to keep it to a minimum. My daughter is 12 1/2 and no signs yet. My almost 10 yr old has some signs, but that is a normal part of both spina bifida and prader willi so doesn't count. Many things in our enviroment also add to the earlier puberty - things in hairspray, simply stuff like that. I'll go looking for the URL if anyone is interested. Glenda
Hairspray? Yikes! I have headaches pretty much every day. Around my period time they get worse. Sometimes I think dome foods trigger one to start, but haven't figured out exactly which ones bother me---except maybe Feta cheese, which I really like. Anyway, yesterday my husband found an articlefrom Web MD that listed possible food triggers. There was hardly ANYthing NOT mentioned! Another yikes! Seems like everything can cause something, so you just have to do your best and pray!
Ladies: I heard the same thing that all of you in the same household will get it the same time. My dh keeps saying he is going fishing as soon as all of us get ours. I have been open all along with my two dd's and they know everything and will be ready. It's kind of hard to talk to one without the other one not hearing. They both ask question from time to time. But, nothing that can't be answer. Just be honest and open and it will all work out. :lol:
I think just to be open from the start with them. As far as face breaking out, there are lots of good over the counter face meds now. Just start out once a day so not to over dry skin. Ansley will be 13 in Aug and I am looking for it any day now. I was 3 months to being 13. Her face is starting to have some break outs too. :x Little boobs too and the other changes that go with it. They are growing up.
