Puberty will bring on lots of mixed up feelings. Exciting? Yes. Embarassing? Sometimes. Awkward? Sure. And while all these changes are happening, there will be people in your life who are amazed. But the most embarrassing part can happen when people feel the need to say something about it. That’s when knowing how to deal with their comments becomes a bigpart of getting through puberty with a little less embarrassment.Grandmas are one thing, but kids at school are another. Popping a bra strap is one way kids can be mean. It might be meant as a joke, but it’s really not funny.
Nicknames that refer to your breasts, like “busty” or “Flat Sam” are another way kids can be mean. When people do or say things like that, it can be totally embarrassing, infuriating and hurtful. And if you are one of the first, or one of the last to develop, it’s even worse.
It’s important to know that if anyone says mean or insensitive things about your body or the way you look, it’s a form of bullying – whether it’s a friend or just another kid at school. Most of those comments happen because the bully is either jealous or doesn’t feel good about himself or herself, and is trying to bring others down, too. Sometimes, they just do it to get attention.
If you experience this type of teasing from a friend, honesty can work. Tell your friend that her comments hurt your feelings and you hope she’ll stop. If she’s a true friend, she’ll listen, and she won’t want to hurt you.
For bullies, a simple “come back” can let them know how immature they’re acting and might stop the teasing. Say something like, “Why don’t you grow up?” If that doesn’t work or if you don’t feel like you can say anything, it’s important to get help from an adult in charge. Your changing body really is a special and private thing, and nobody has the right to tease you about it.
Finally, if there’s an adult or stranger that ever makes a comment about your body or other puberty stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable, the adult is wrong and may even be breaking the law. In that case, it’s very important for you to talk with a trusted adult that can help stop it.
For most girls, puberty will bring some awkward moments, but overall, it’s a time of exciting and positive changes. Learning about what to expect and how to deal with the awkward moments can help you face it with more confidence and less worries. Then, the next time you hear the word “puberty,” you don’t need to jump for joy with clappy hands, but we hope you can just smile and say, “Oh, that. It’s just part of life. And it’s actually kind of cool the way it all happens.”
