The changing body of a Princess
How will my body change? As you get older, you will notice that your body will begin to change The changes to your body can also affect the way that you feel We will talk about those changes today
Question 1 Q. Can you think of any changes that might happen to your body? These changes might be happening to you, or even your friends. Turn to the person beside you and see if you can think of any possible changes
Changes to a Princesses Body That s right! Changes can include: Pimples Hair under your arms Hairy legs Breasts beginning to develop You get your period Oily skin or hair Body odour Growing taller You begin to get curves (your hips might widen)
The Princess and the Period! A period is natural and normal it is the bodies way of removing the inner lining of the uterus For some Princesses, their period can last anywhere from 3-10 days it just depends on the princess Periods usually happen once a month but for the first few months, it is often hard to tell when the next one is due. These are called irregular periods. This is very normal.
To help the Princess prepare To help you guess when the next period is due, princesses often use a calendar. When you get your first period, circle the day in the calendar When your period is finished, circle the day in the calendar Do this for at least three months and see if there is a pattern that begins to show
Example: For example, you may notice that your period begins on the 12 September and finishes on the 19 September (7 days). Then the next month, it begins on the 10 October and finishes on the 17 October (7 days). So, for November, it may be safe to say that your period may begin near the 9, 10 or 11 November. This will help you to prepare for your period.
When your period is close Before you get your period, you may start to feel cramps in the lower part of your tummy You may even notice a discharge in your undies this is perfectly normal When you have your period, it is important to use a sanitary pad or a tampon
Who do I tell? Just before you get your period, or when your period arrives, it is best to tell an adult! You might like to tell your mum, dad, carer, aunt, uncle or older sister it all depends who you live with and who you feel most comfortable telling **Remember, people don t know unless you tell them!
Where does a Princess get sanitary items from? Pads and tampons can be brought at the supermarket. You may have seen your mum, sister, aunt or carer buying these when they go shopping It is important to change your pad or tampon regularly it might be best to change them every lunch break They do take practice to use!
What if I forget to bring some? That s ok just ask one of your friends if they have a pad that you can use If they don t, you can always go down to the school office and ask the lady at the counter Sometimes, it s best to keep a small supply in your bag
Remember NEVER flush your pad or tampon down the toilet! It will get stuck in the pipes! If you re at school, simply throw it in the sanitary bin beside the toilet If you are at home, wrap it up with a piece of toilet paper and put it in the bin Or, ask the trusted adult at your house what they would like you to do
What if I have an accident? That s ok! Don t stress Wrap a jumper around your waist (if you have one) and go to the office for assistance Ask your friend to go to the office for you Change your underwear (it s always handy to carry an extra pair in your bag) Get your friend to do a spot check when you have your period Remember, this is new for you, so it might take some getting used to!
Q. Can I go swimming if I have my period? Yes!! But unfortunately pads aren t made for the water, so tampons are the next best thing! Tampons can be trickier to use than pads so they may take some practice to use. Although, some princesses might not be able to use tampons for religious, cultural or personal reasons. This is OK! So, you might want to skip swimming for the time that you have your period that is ok too!
What else can a Princess do when she has her period? A princess can do anything when she has her period!! She can: Play sport Have a shower and wash her hair Sleep over at a friend s house Go out for dinner Go to the movies Walk the dog
Hygiene is very important: Remember to: Change your pad or tampon on a regular basis (at least 2-4 times per day) Wear deodorant Brush your teeth!! Wash your hair, face and body regularly (at least once a day) Make sure you have clean underwear
Remember to Smile!!! Although periods and changes can be annoying or even embarrassing, they happen to all princesses at one time or another!
Why do these changes happen? These changes happen to your body because you are changing from a young girl, in to a young woman You may have heard people say that you are growing up or, you are nearly a teenager
When do these changes begin to happen? Research says that most young girls will begin to notice changes when they are around 11 years old For boys, they begin to notice their own changes when they are around 12 years old
When do these changes happen? Although some girls notice changes when they are 11 years old, others might not notice changes until they are 14 years old (or even older!!) This ok and completely normal every body is different If you are sporty or really thin, this can also mean that changes start later
It s not just changes to your body When your body is beginning to change, a thing called hormones also start to change These hormones can make you feel happy, sad, confused, tired, angry or excited This is perfectly normal! These changes might take some time to get used to
Some of the changes include Coping with your changing body Frustration because you feel different Mood swings Energy changes
Your thinking may also change You may: Start to choose your own standards Form your own ideas, morals and values Rely less on your parents for knowledge about life and the world Start to think about some deep questions like Who am I?, Why am I here? or What is the meaning of life? For some princesses, this time can be very confusing you may feel happy, sad and confused all at the same time
So what is a Princess to do? Well, a Princess can do a number of things: Talk to a teacher Talk to a parent, carer or relative Talk to a friend Talk to a professional, such as a counsellor This will help you sort out some of your feelings
A Princess can also Ride her bike Go for a walk with a trusted adult Do some skipping Go rollerblading Paint her toes Do her hair Play some sport
And Write in a diary Do some drawings Paint a picture Do some poetry Play with her animals (cat, dog, mouse) Sing and dance Go for a swim
This will help to Release some energy It also releases a hormone called endorphins (say en-dor-fins) These chemicals are released in your brain and they make you feel good
QUESTION So, thinking back what are some activities that you can do when you start to feel cranky or annoyed?
Sometimes It s difficult to recognise your feelings This is ok and perfectly normal!! But, if you start to feel angry, annoyed or confused, it s best to let an adult know Or, if you don t feel like speaking, maybe you can come up with some sort of sign to let others know that you aren t happy and you need some time out
Things to do or say Speak to an adult and come up with a plan for when you aren t feeling so good Such things may include: Leaving the room and going to your bedroom Showing an adult a time out card Putting a sign on the door saying come back in 20 mins EG: I am feeling cranky please come back in 20 minutes It s always good to come back and speak to an adult about why you felt cranky, annoyed or confused after you ve done some exercise and had some time out
It s also important to Eat well That includes 2 and 5 2 serves of fruit 5 serves of vegies
And 4 7 serves of breads, cereals, rice, pastas and noodles 3 5 serves of milk, cheese or yoghurt
And also 1 2 serves of meat, fish or chicken 1 3 serves of sweets
Guess what? That s every day!!! Why do you think that you need to eat that much?
An example of what you might like to eat Breakfast 2 pieces of toast Cereal and milk Piece of fruit Lunch Sandwich with ham and salad Piece of fruit Tub of yoghurt Drink of milk Dinner Piece of meat (chicken, fish, steak) Vegetables (carrots, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn) Mashed potato Snacks Handful of nuts Sultanas Dried apricots/apple Piece of fruit Carrot sticks Celery sticks Tub of yoghurt Remember to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day!!
Self Esteem and Body Image As mentioned, you might become self conscious about your appearance People may treat you differently because you look older Here, we will talk about Self Esteem and Body Image
Self esteem is: - Feeling good about yourself - Feeling like you are worthwhile - Learned and can be changed - Affected by physical and hormonal changes **There are two types of self esteem
High Vs Low Self Esteem High Self Esteem Lets you cope with situations/events Happy to try new things Make good decisions Feel confident head held high and smile on their face able to openly speak to others around them Low Self Esteem Find it difficult to cope with situations/events Don t want to try new things Worried about what others might think/say Often appear with head down/not confident enough to look at people when they speak Speak negatively about themselves find it difficult to accept when people say nice things about them
How you get low self-esteem? U get low self esteem by Telling yourself negative statements (ie. saying you re stupid, ugly, boring etc) Disliking yourself Believing you can t change anything Believing that no-one likes you Listening to and believing people who tell you bad things about yourself
How do you increase self esteem? Take an interest in activities/hobbies in the community (sport, PCYC, girl guides) Speak to a family member/trusted adult/counsellor Recognise your achievements/celebrate success Spend time with positive people in your life Read a book Exercise Write in a diary (Self esteem quiz/10 ways to improve self esteem - page 69/72 - straight talk manual)
Body Image Is how you think and feel about your body and what you imagine that you look like It s ok to look different to other princesses Everyone has different: Body weight and shape Faces Ears Eyes Height Fingers and toes Bellybuttons!
Because That s what makes you an INDIVIDUAL
Remember! Every body is different princesses change at different times and at different speeds It s important to be comfortable with your body It s what s inside a person that really matters - such as a person s personality and skills Be confident use I statements such as, I am a good friend and it doesn t matter what they say ; I am good at maths ; I like my body the way it is
RECAP How the body changes The princess and the period Who to tell Where to get sanitary items What can u do when you have your period Hygiene Why the changes happen When the changes happen What to do when the changes happen Self Esteem and Body Image
References Better Health Channel www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au Beyond Blue www.beyondblue.org.au