Teen Girl Issues

Puberty

• One issue every girl faces is the onset of puberty. Many girls are excited about reaching this stage of their lives, while others are filled with worry. Puberty brings a host of new emotions and experiences, such as acne, mood swings, and physical changes. For most girls, puberty begins between the ages of 9 and 13 years. The body's changes are done by the time a girl is about 11 to 16 year olds. When girls have delayed puberty, however, many feel self-conscious or anxious. You can help assuage your daughter's worries by letting her know that even changes as odd as depression are completely normal. If your daughter's puberty onset is delayed, assure her that this often happens as a result of excessive exercise or can be simply a genetically passed on trait. If your daughter hasn't started menstruating by the time she is 16, consult your doctor.

Alcohol

• According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, approximately one-third of teenage girls have had their first alcoholic drink before entering high school. More than ever before, girls are drinking at younger ages. Since children who start drinking early in life are more likely to become problem drinkers, it is important you talk to your daughter about the dangers of alcohol at this age. Middle School and High School are important factors in influencing your child's decision to drink. According to the Center, girls use alcohol to alleviate low self-esteem, peer pressure, and to self-medicate in order to forget their problems. For many girls, these problems include body image insecurities, physical or sexual abuse and media images of sexy and "fun" women drinking. Helping your daughter conquer these issues can prove invaluable in preventing her from drinking at an early age.

Sex and Pregnancy

• Teenage girls are also engaging in more sexual activity than their parents' generation. Pregnant teens are often featured in news reports, ranging from high schoolers having babies to young celebrities. According to the September, 2011 Time Magazine article, "The Truth About Teen Girls," the increased sexualization of teenagers and the sexual imagery in the media influences this increased sexuality in children. Teenage sexual activity can result in many unwanted consequences, such as pregnancy or disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 4 girls ages 14 to 19 contract a sexually transmitted disease. Sexual activity in teenage girls is even more troublesome because it is often a sign that they are seeking it for the wrong reasons and it may impact their ability to have future healthy relationships. You can help delay the age that your teenage engages in sexual activity by focusing on your parental relationship with her. According to Focus Adolescent Services, the onset of sexual intercourse in teenage girls is related to parental supervision, good school grades, the parent's education level, and supportive family relationships.

Body Image

• A poor self-image regarding their bodies is one of the biggest issues facing teenage girls. Aside from contributing to other issues such as alcoholism, a poor body image takes the attention of girls from important things like schoolwork. Some girls who do not feel they are beautiful find boys to sleep with in order to redeem themselves. Some girls are insecure about their bodies simply because they are are changing at this age. Other girls face obesity, a problem facing 25 percent of adolescents by medical standards. You can help your daughter feel confident in her body by reminding her that all girls go through body changes at this time. If your daughter is overweight, never tell her she is fat. Instead, help her find clothes that flatter her and help her focus on her other strong traits. If you feel her weight is a problem, gently help her involve in more physical activity or other methods of slowly shedding the weight.