Adolescence?

Adolescence is a physical and mental transition between childhood and adulthood.


Adolescence is supposed to start a little later. Not at eight years of age! Or am I wrong?


And why am I asking?


Because a few weeks before MC turned eight, she was asking a lot of things that made me think about adolescence, about puberty, about teenies!


'I think I have hair in my legs. I am too thin. I want to be fat like my classmates. My bones are sticking out. What should I do to be fat? Should I eat more? Should I drink more? Should I join more sports?' These are some of her concerns.

'Mama, please help me. I want to be beautiful when I grow up,' she asked me seriously.

I was surprised to hear those words. But I answered her questions as seriously.

I told her having hair on the legs is not too terrible, there are other girls with hair on their legs. And if she dont like them, there are ways to remove them.

I told her she is not too thin; but she is taller now. Plus, her body is physically just like her papa and I when we were her age. I even showed her the photos.

I told her, she should avoid comparing because her classmates are very different from her. Their parents are bigger and sturdier compared to us.

I told her, her bones are not sticking out. She is just growing. She is taller, I repeated.

I told her she could eat and drink as much as she want. Eating and drinking enough is always good.


Of course, keeping healthy would also mean sports. I told her she doesnt have to join any regular sports. Because I know how she loves biking. Because I know how she loves to go on regular night strolls with her papa. Because I know her favorite games involves running and moving around.

And I reminded her that she would only turn eight. There are other exciting things out there for her.