I was 15 years old. It was the 29th of December. This was the first New Year’s Eve that I had any plans with friends. We were going to a dance at the Wilkinson Center. It was going to be the best New Year’s Eve ever.
I went to bed as a girl and when I went to the bathroom in the morning, I found I was no longer a girl, but a woman. I was absolutely crushed. I cried and cried that I had my first visit from “Aunt Flo” on New Years Eve. I was freaking out about how I was going to deal with it and still have fun at the dance.
My mom and my grandma took me do Castleton’s to find a dark skirt that I could wear to the dance. I ended up getting an adorable and very 1987 outfit. It was a long blue skirt and a cream gunny sack blouse with pearl buttons.
After the dance I went to my grandma’s house to spend the night. Just like I had for the past 11 years on New Year’s Eve.
The next morning, I woke up and was reminded of “my friend” and started to cry again.
Every month for the next 6-9 months, I would cry with each visit. I would pray hard every single day that it would just go away. I thought of all of the ways that I could possibly have it go away. I considered anorexia because I heard once that your period would go away. But I really enjoy food, so I decided that wasn’t an option. I thought about working out extra hard to see if that would make it go away. I was already dancing most days during the week and there was little time to add more activities.
For years (many years) I hated that time of the month.
I can’t believe that young girls are having to go through this at a much much younger age than I did. I couldn’t deal with it as a 15 year old. How can a 9 year old be expected to deal with this? How can a 10 year old be prepared every month to deal with “Aunt Flo”? 10 year olds are supposed to be playing Barbie. They aren’t supposed to look like Barbie. Skipper – that is how a 10 year old should look.
Is it the rise in obesity? Why are we not cracking down on our kids any more than we are about what they eat and how much they run and play? Or is it the hormones in food? Is it the estrogen that is apparently in plastics? Would living a “green” lifestyle slow things down or is it already too late?
10.4% of Caucasian girls, 23% of African-American girls and 15% of Hispanic girls will start having breast development by age 7.
Jade is 7. She’s still a child. I hope she can stay a child for many more years to come.
Why do you think girls are entering puberty so much earlier?
(polls)
Twitter: henjenca
I was in 6th grade, it was a pretty normal time for it- all my friends started around then. I have wondered if the hormones in cows milk have a role in girls starting early theses days, I had to go out of my way for years to buy it hormone free, but now it’s nice to see the major markets are carrying hormone free milk now, too. I was anorexic for a year in jr. high, my period did stop- and I admit it was nice. I was crushed when nursing my first baby and my flow came back, I was counting on it not for a year or so! It was hard, when my first dd started, to give her the pep talk about how it’s normal and how we are blessed to be able to carry a child…cus I didn’t believe it, I view the flow as a curse, and it was hard to hand my dd a life sentence!
Amy
Twitter: familytrifecta
Reply:
August 16th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
isn’t it strange that such a blessing that we have been given is also so hated and considered a curse?
Our market still doesn’t have the hormone free that isn’t twice as much as the regular. But I have to believe it is worth the extra effort to find and money.
I was thrilled to have Aunt Flo visit when I was 12 1/2 because it gave me hope that I would STOP growing. 5’11” is pretty tall in 6th grade.
I know my 10 year old doesn’t want to grow up. Just today she and her friend were down stairs playing barbies with the younger girls. It’s not just the puberty thing. I don’t want elementary aged girls acting like teens. I like that they still play young.
I would guess body weight is a huge part of it. The girls at the dance studio are all quite thin and non of them seem to be going through puberty super early. I’m sure plenty of them at hormone fed beef and not so organic dairy. But at the elementary school there are plenty of them and they are usually rounder little ones.
Amy
Twitter: familytrifecta
Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
i wonder too if activity level plays a part – the girls at the studio are definitely more active than the average girl at school – plus more aware of their bodies.
Twitter: motheringmayhem
With a daughter who will turn 8 next month, I worry about this. I’ve heard that the earlier onset of puberty for the majority of girls may be related to either body weight or hormones found in dairy products. I wish I had bought organic milk for both of my daughters, but I couldn’t afford it when they were very young.
Amy
Twitter: familytrifecta
Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
We didn’t buy organic milk until the past couple of years – it will be interesting to see if there is a difference in when my two girls start. Luckily, now they are not including growth hormones nor antibiotics in many brands of milk.
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Twitter: runwithmel
Everything seems to lean toward the obesity trend. The “fattening” of America is the cause of many diseases–diabetes is on the rise, cancer rates are higher and the list goes on. So many things are linked to diet, lifestyle and activity level. A healthier diet and a more active lifestyle there are linked to healthier lives with fewer diseases. The biggest correlation with early onset puberty (at least in girls—is there any information on puberty in boys?) is weight and fat production. The best thing we can do for the children of American is bring PE back to schools and teach them how to make healthy choices when eating.
Amy
Twitter: familytrifecta
Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
boys are starting earlier too, but the articles were mostly based on girls.
Twitter: thatgirlisfunny
Hi Holly,
I think your poll is an excellent idea. Plain and simple with a straight forward question that actually lets us know – for a small group of us – whether things are really different for young girls today. One thing though, current age of the voters might make a difference to your results. Maybe it should be, if you’re older than…nevertheless, it’s still an interesting question.
If you use WP, polldaddy has a plug-in and you can adjust the color of the background to jazz it up a little.
Amy
Twitter: familytrifecta
Reply:
August 10th, 2010 at 10:44 am
HI Cheryl, I was trying to change the color and it would look different in my plugin but then when I’d hit publish it would look ugly again 🙂 I’ll have to mess around with it more. Good point on the current age of voters.
Twitter: HJPix
Hmmmm…. well, I wasn’t heavy back then and I started at 9/10. I was in the 4th grade and PROBABLY the ONLY ONE. (70s) I was the first to start developing elsewhere, too. I was NOT happy about it. The jokes… Then when I was anorexic (NOT recommended) in high school… it didn’t stop Aunt Flo from visiting. Just some FYI. ;p
Hmmm trend for today? See, it’s not different than it was for me, so it’s hard to say. I think it’s genetics and that tends to cycle or evolve just like everything else, I guess.
Amy
Twitter: familytrifecta
Reply:
August 13th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
I had one friend that started that early too, and she wasn’t a big girl either.
Genetics definitely comes in to play.
I was 11 when I got my period. I do think that girls are developing at younger ages in general, but I don’t think I knew anyone who was in high school before they got their period.