Early puberty: Finding age appropriate liturature
Our eight-year-old daughter is going through an early puberty. I'm having problems finding age-appropriate literature that explains what is happening to her. Can you help me?
Question:This sounds like a good time to communicate with your child's pediatrician, particularly since your daughter is going through puberty at such an early age. The doctor should be able to provide some good references to book titles, videos or other resources that may help your daughter understand the changes that she is going through. You may also want to speak to your own primary physician or gynecologist to see if you can get useful references.
Since your daughter is young, any materials that you give to her should be previewed prior to her reading them. Spend some time at a local library or bookstore browsing through their selection of books for adolescents. Look for simple vocabulary at your daughter's reading and comprehension level.
A quick glance at some of the titles available from Amazon.com indicates that many parents share your concerns about the subject matter being too strong, particularly the discussion of sex and morality. The good news is that there is a large selection of books on the topic in general, so you should be able to find something that is appropriate for your daughter.
You are the most important resource for your daughter. The encouragement and nurturing that you provide will help your daughter adjust to the changes she is going through. Talk openly with her and give her constant support and affirmation. She needs her family to be a stable force during this period of change. If she has any other support systems, such as a youth group at your church or synagogue, encourage her to continue those relationships. If you feel that your daughter is not adjusting well, consider counseling to assist her during this period.
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