Puberty is starting earlier

I read somewhere it’s starting earlier because of all the fast food, I wouldn’t be to OTT about it and I think it starts at around 9 now at earliest, it causes mental health problems I assume as boys in mixed schools yet don’t understand and misogyny (usually from fathers) gets funnelled down to their sons who end up being horrible. Just keep in mind it isn’t happening to everyone and “late bloomers” still exist. All you can do is educate her well if school doesn’t and just generally be supportive.

I started periods at primary school, think I was ten but it was 3rd year juniors so year 5 now and I could have been nine. I was very thin so it wasn't weight with me. That was almost 60 years ago so I think there has always been variation.

That's infant/Junior btw

My missus is an infant teacher and has been saying this for years now.

Now higher income/ better nutrition = less likely to be overweight too, speaking generally. So I wonder if differentiating studies have been made?

There is quite a lot out there to read. Basically, it is down to nutrition, not necessarily weight. In history the average age is always distorted by the large differences in nutrition between the classes. The upper classes, better nutrition, had earlier menstruation, the lower classes, later. So the average of 12-14 masks the fact that in a quote I can't find now "nobility were observed to have several children, before the lower classes had even started menstruation", or something along those lines.

My 9 year old is tall but skinny. You can see her ribs. She's definitely been in puberty for a year now, has underarm and public hair, breasts and spots.

I doubt it'll be a year before her period starts. I'm worried about her shes emotionally still very young and getting her to wash is a daily battle.

My 9 year old is tall but skinny. You can see her ribs. She's definitely been in puberty for a year now, has underarm and public hair, breasts and spots.

I doubt it'll be a year before her period starts. I'm worried about her shes emotionally still very young and getting her to wash is a daily battle.

Living with a non blood related adult results on average in an earlier puberty. Google puberty in adopted children. So does stress and poverty. So does sexual abuse. More children are living with step parents or parents partners. Many children are stressed. Their body reacts to the stress or the assault by quickening adulthood for self preservation presumably.

Ooh, that is interesting, thanks Scrolling.

This article is interesting.

The Last Word On Nothing | The Historically Slippery Age of Puberty

www.lastwordonnothing.com/2018/01/02/the-historically-slippery-age-of-puberty/

This is what I don't understand, I don't leak piss or shit, I have control over them.

I actually take offense at internalised self hatred I have none of the sort. I can feel amazed by my fertility, I can appreciate my female body, but I can equally be disgusted that I have to clean loo seats and floors and my hands because of the volume of uncontrollable blood. Part of why I feel the need to protect woman's spaces and woman's sport is because of impact that periods (and pregnancy) have on women. You can not identify into being a woman, nor identify out of it.

Periods are not disgusting, but they sure can feel disgusting, especially to a 8 or 9 year old child who has awful cramps and heavy bleeding from a part of their body that they don't even fully understand.

I’m really interested in this idea that earlier periods is the norm, and that the aberration was basically the last 200 years, when menarche became later (because of industrialisation causing worsening of Irving conditions?). Does anyone know any more about this? I looked at the Conversation article linked above but would love to read more.

I also remember a thread about this a few months ago, but can’t find it now. It was very interesting.

I can only presume so, TeamSuckhareva!

*same

Not messier than any other bodily function? Are you sure you're talking about the dame stuff the rest of us are?

Periods shouldn't be smelly. They aren't really any messier than any other bodily function. And as I've said upthread, I am happy to have mine, whether you think that's 'silly' or not.

No one is pretending that. It's describing them as "disgusting" which I have an issue with. The poster who said that is of course free to continue with whatever internalised self- hatred makes her think that. What she should not be doing is imparting that view to any sons and daughters she might have.

Periods can be painful, inconvenient, messy but they should never be seen as disgusting or shameful.

I frankly never want to hear again that ridiculous nonsense which rears its head frequently on here about "someone might hear me opening a tampon wrapper" - so what if they do hear - along with all the other noises which might be heard from a toilet cubicle- what makes tampon wrappers so horrific?

Periods are painful, smelly, messy, and a nuisance.
Pretending that they aren't is silly.

I thought this was the general take too. Puberty goes on weight and girls are much healthier, taller and stronger. I was the smallest in my class and didn't start my periods til I was 14. Then only sporadically as I had EDs.

I never said everyone.

I just said that I think we do need to separate out those who have been made to feel ashamed /embarrassed/disgusted by parental failure to address issues/properly equip their kids, or by the many people online talking to teenagers and pre teens convincing them that puberty is so traumatic they will kill/hurt themselves and the solution is harmful medication that won't even help because despite being physically older they will remain as mentally ill.equipped as they were before. From those who do genuinely have issues requiring medical intervention.

Especially given the current situation where its virtually impossible to speak to or see a dr.

Scully I do see your point, although not completely agree, denying how some women/girls feel is also not helpful. The truth is for many it is not easily catered for, and the reality is that there has not been the research or the injection of money in order to address this because it is a woman's problem.

Periods affect school attendance, they affect participation in sport, they affect choices women and girls make. To pretend
otherwise to expect others to embrace it does not address the problem.

Then presumably you see how it's all effectively gone full circle now?

How it's gone from something shameful to be endured in private to something embarrassing and with all sorts of adult connotations added, to something that can be easily catered for and dealt with with a ton of choices as parents desperately try not to make the same miatakes ours did, back to something where we constantly remove the ability to.privately deal with , where instead of period being a dirty word the word woman /girl is, which cannot do anything but exacerbate embarrassment amd shame and to confusion as no one is allowed to discuss what happens who who . And something so traumatic and disgusting that must be drugged to prevent instead of dealt with.

There is alot of money to be made in teaching girls it's shameful and disgusting.

Mistache
Today 12:33
Also, it’s amazing that we know so little about puberty, even why it starts, but doctors are perfectly confident prescribing blockers and saying there’s no effects…

I wonder if you’ve seen this from another thread?
drdylanwilson.substack.com/p/an-open-letter-to-australias-doctors/comments