Is my GD too young at 9 to start her periods?

What cafe au pait said

Lait sorry

Puppy fat is normal in young girls and they usually loose it in their early teens - as long as they don’t get a lot of sugary junk food. Keep her active, sports if possible, these days girls sports include Football and Rugby where a “well built” girl will do well.
Don’t refer to her as fat, steer her in the activity direction, she will be fine.

Katie59 I don’t agree at all, the opening post says this 9 year old eats loads of chocolate, biscuits and crisps and she is very overweight this is not the elusive puppy fat you refer to She is indulged in, eats all the wrong things and is very difficult and your advice is she will be fine ??‍♂️

BlueBelle

Katie59 I don’t agree at all, the opening post says this 9 year old eats loads of chocolate, biscuits and crisps and she is very overweight this is not the elusive puppy fat you refer to She is indulged in, eats all the wrong things and is very difficult and your advice is she will be fine ??‍♂️

That’s funny I did say ”as long as she does not get sugary Junk food”

One of my twin daughters started her periods whilst at Primary School and yet her identical twin sister was 13 before she started hers. Both were slender.

There's not really a lot you can do. As has been said at 9 someone is buying the unhealthy foods and enabling the ensuing weight issues. It's quite possible that she could be starting her periods. I suspect that she's very unhappy. All you can do is support what ever efforts are made to encourage a healthier lifestyle.

A niece of mine started at 9. She was slightly overweight but not too bad.

Doctor just said it happens and that was that

She did adapt very quickly and didn't have any upset.

She is not too young to start her period but she is certainly too young to have weight issues. What a shame it has been allowed to get to this.

The only way to get her to eat healthily is for the whole family to eat healthily and there not to be all the foods in the house that lead to an unhealthy diet. She may refuse to eat somethings for awhile, but she will eat when she is hungry.

Good food and plenty of exercise for everyone, so she sees she is not being singled out and what is good for her is good for all of you.

I would support the weight theory. My daughter was tiny and didn't start her periods until she was 15.

Some of my DD's friends were nine, GDs were eleven, my DD was twelve but I was sixteen so they didn't take after me.

Some girls were starting their periods at 9 when DD was in primary school - and that was in the early 1980s.

My daughter was overweight, but did not start her periods until she was 13. Much the same age as I did, and I was a really skinny little runt at that age.

Thanks to all who have commented on this thread and contributed lots of interesting information and advice. It has all given me a lot to think about and particularly as to how I might approach the family about the issue. Because, I have realised, it may be a whole family thing. Food issues have played a huge part in their family life because the eldest DGS has had lots of allergies from babyhood and even now has several. The middle child, DGS, can eat everything apart from nuts. My DIL developed diabetes during pregnancy and now is actually a diabetic. She tried to control it for several years by eating carefully but has now had to start injections. My DS has always had problems with his bowels and is now following (on the advice of a dietician) a special diet (which is actually very restrictive). The DGD who is under discussion was breastfed until she was 3 (obviously only to settle her at night or when she was poorly) and then Mum stopped. I think DGD has never quite forgiven her for this and I have a feeling that part of the problem is that she used fussy eating as an attention seeking ploy but has probably now just has adopted it as a behaviour pattern. This does all sound very complicated and I think sorting this out may not be easy.

My daughter is coming up for 40 she stated her periods when she was 8 she had good support at school as her headteacher also started at 8.. it was very hard because she didn’t understand what was happening to her..
She is only 5ft tall now and never been overweight..

Shandy57

I was an overweight child and had a miserable time, NH glasses as well. I remember the teacher lending me some long john style knickers to wear on sports day to stop chub rub!

I hope your DGD can go dancing or swimming regularly and lose her weight.

Ditto - every time I see a fat kid I feel like glaring at the parent. Do they not understand the cruelty that is meted out in the school social mix to fat kids? How that affects you for life? Well fat is not where it's at - ever.

My daughter had her first period age 8, it hit me very hard she didn’t understand at all.
Her head teacher was so good with her, she also started he4 at 8 years old,,

Katie59 saying it's puppy fat is the biggest lie my parents ever told me. There is no such thing as puppy fat. Because I believed them and being made to think it would magically disappear as I got older I was a fat child and teenager who turned into a morbidly obese adult. Who lost weight time and time again . Gave up and put on again. Finally 5 years ago being seriously ill with jaundice and having no one dependent on me anymore finally decided to get rid of the fat once and for all. I was a size 32 and well over 19st. I am only 5' 2". I am now a 16 and 12st 3.5 lb I want to get to 11st.

If there are any fat children or teenagers in your families please for their sakes encourage and help them lose the weight now. I was bullied terribly at school . I was fat ,short ,shy and clever. An easy target for the bullies.

I am 63 now how I wish I could have told my 10 year old self what was in store for me if I didn't stop stuffing my face .

When I was at school several girls started their periods between 9-12. I was 11 when I started mine.