Little Girl No More: How to Help Your Daughter Through Puberty

There comes a time in any mother’s life that they have to face a hard truth: their little girl is now becoming a woman. As an adult, who’s been through it all, you know from experience that life will become a rollercoaster once a girl hits puberty. So as a mother, you should do everything in your power to make the experience less unbearable and the transition of your beloved child into a fine young woman.

• Build their trust

Of course, teenagers will often have some kind of angst against their parents. And no matter how loving your child was before, your daughter will transform into some kind of monster at some point, even if you do know that it’s the raging hormones that are causing the problem. So to prepare for that eventuality, you need to be able to build your child’s trust as early as possible, in order for her to feel comfortable opening up to you when she does start experiencing her period. 

• Give them the talk

No one can really prepare you for the talk about boys and girls or the birds and the bees if you will. But there is no better way for your child to learn about this than straight from their parents, no matter how cringy that might sound to them. That’s where building trust also comes in handy since you do need to talk to them about this sensitive topic at some point. 

It will also be helpful if you can share your experience when you went through the same changes. It will tell them that they are not alone in the process and that they are always loved.

• Understand what their going through

Puberty is a pretty difficult phase in any person’s life so it’s understandable that your daughter will get cranky most of the time. Remember that you’ve been through this before but your daughter is her own person. So your way of coping with the issue is different from hers, which means you should never ever compare what you did and how you did to what she’s doing right now.

• Warn them about sexism

Regardless of the times, women know that sexism still exists in society. Even if we are living in the 21st century, women are still being discriminated against in many places all around. You don’t have to rub it into your daughter but you have to make her become aware of what’s going on for her to protect herself against misogynists and societal standards that are unfair towards women so she can make necessary changes.

• Provide their needs

Now, more than ever, your daughter will need your guidance and love. This includes giving them what a woman craves when she hits puberty, whether this is a tub of ice cream or a bottle of all-natural cold-pressed juice. I’d prefer if she wants the latter, but allow her to give in to her cravings once in a while. At the same time, try asking her to come with you to the gym every now and then.

• Let them make their mistakes

Let’s face it. No matter how much we try to protect our children, there will always come a time that they will have to face the world. This means that they will be vulnerable to the harsh elements of nature and even human society. This also means that they will likely make their own mistakes from here on out. 

You are not doing your daughter any favor by keeping her protected from the world, especially if she has reached puberty. Now is the time to arm her with the right skills and mindset for her to conquer the world, so to speak. Let her make memories, whether good or bad. Just be there when she needs you. 

Puberty is a time of change for any child but also for any parent. It is a time for children to grow up and a time for parents to let go. It’s the first step towards independence and we should understand that. Going through puberty doesn’t mean you have lost your child. There will always be moments of fondness but as your child goes through adulthood, keep in mind that you will have to accept that and be ready for the changes it will bring to your lives.