Yesterday she wanted to tell you everything. Today the bedroom door is closed and your perfectly ordinary question has received a very dramatic sigh. If you’re wondering what’s happening, you’re not alone.
Puberty brings physical changes, but it can also be a lot to take in emotionally. Your daughter may be growing quickly, developing breasts, noticing changes in her skin or needing more privacy. Her moods might seem different too. Hormones are part of this stage, but so are friendships, school, sleep and the simple business of growing up. It helps to stay curious about what she is experiencing.
You don’t have to deliver one grand speech about periods. Little chats while you’re in the car or doing something together can feel much easier. Let her ask questions. Show her what a pad looks like, put a small period pouch in her schoolbag together, and make sure she knows who she can turn to if her first period starts away from home.
As a mum to two girls, a nurse and a naturopathic nutritionist, I want girls to grow up feeling informed about their bodies rather than frightened of them. We can look at how your daughter is eating, sleeping and feeling, as well as the questions she may be too embarrassed to ask. The aim is to help you both feel more prepared, without making her feel that she’s changing too fast or doing anything wrong.
We can also look at whether her diet is meeting her needs as she grows and whether any nutritional gaps may call for carefully chosen supplements. I can help you make simple, manageable choices around everyday products and reduce exposure to substances that may interfere with hormones, known as endocrine disruptors. The aim is to support her health without making growing up feel like something that needs fixing.
In practice, we can start with the things your family uses every day: how food is grown and packaged, whether hot food goes into plastic, the products she uses on her skin and the fragrances and cleaning products around the home. Small steps, such as washing fruit and vegetables, using glass or stainless steel for hot food and choosing simpler personal care products, can help reduce avoidable exposure. It doesn’t have to become another source of worry for you or your daughter.
Would you like more individual support?
I offer a comprehensive, individualised programme shaped around your or your daughter's needs, age and daily life. We can explore food and lifestyle, with supplements, herbs and testing considered only when appropriate. Email lisa@evolvefemalewellness.com to enquire about working together.