Moving on to girl things. It's also important to understand changes they're going through. Some are similar to the changes that boys experience. Some are very different. As with boys, girls go through puberty at different rates. If anyone, girl or boy, is slower or faster to develop that's fine. Don't tease. Everyone will catch up in the end!
Like boys, girls have growth spurts. Girls begin puberty a little earlier than guys (between the ages of about 8 and 14), and you may have noticed that some girls in class are suddenly a lot taller. Sweat glands in girls also activate during puberty, and girls also start using an anti-perspirant and deodorant. During puberty, girls grow hair under their arms, on their legs, and in the pubic area. Girls might also have acne issues, just like boys. And for both boys and girls, puberty is an emotional time of change.
Girls also go through some unique girls-only changes. Breasts, a waist, and hips develop. Monthly periods (menstruation) starts. A girl's menstrual period can begin anywhere between about 9 and 16. Every 28 days or so, a girl loses a small amount of blood and tissue through the vagina, which requires them to use feminine pads or tampons to absorb the flow. Losing this blood and tissue doesn't mean a girl is hurt or cut. It's a natural process of maturing which prepares females to become pregnant and give birth to babies later in life.
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