Featuring “The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls“
See also: Children’s Puberty Book Roundup Series #3: Guy Stuff
Puberty can be a bumpy time for our daughters. Between period anxiety, unwelcome pimples, and bra shopping, many girls feel overwhelmed by all the sudden change. That’s why we, along with millions of readers, appreciate The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls from the trusted team at American Girl.
Written by the same pediatrician and award-winning author of Guy Stuff, Dr. Cara Natterson, this updated edition of The Care and Keeping of You focuses on 8 – 10 year old girls. Because of its target audience, this book avoids the topic of sex and relationships, but covers self-care for changing bodies in depth — making it an ideal guide for young girls with CPP. Older girls are then encouraged to move on to the The Care and Keeping of You 2, which includes appropriate material for girls ages 10 and up.
If you have a daughter with central precocious puberty, it might be a good idea to read through The Care and Keeping of You on your own before deciding which sections to share with her. Because this book addresses common insecurities about breasts, skin, body weight, etc., you may only want to expose your young daughter to the content that applies to her directly, to reduce the risk of making her feel more self-conscious.
If you choose to share this book with your daughter, it might be a good idea to read through relevant parts of this book together during the diagnosis process so she sees that her symptoms are normal, they’re just a little early! During this time when most of her peers don’t yet know what she’s going through, The Care and Keeping of You could help her feel less alone.
Use the book as a conversation starter and revisit it where appropriate through the years. Although CPP treatment will diminish early puberty symptoms or help them disappear entirely, establishing an open, trusting dialogue now will pave the way for all the big conversations to come.
Your daughter is lucky to have your gentle guidance. And with the help of resources like The Care and Keeping of You, you can feel confident that you’re giving her all the information she needs to grow up healthy.
See also: Children’s Puberty Book Roundup Series #5: Amazing You
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