Is it something in the water?

[Rolly]

Please see the Time article at;

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articles/0,3266,58388,00.html

(you may have to manually load this link)

In this article it points out:
Very early entry into puberty is a disturbing trend for young girls.

How will this phenomena effect young women and girls who are developing physically, well before their emotional capacities are ready to cope with the adult world and the urge to reproduce?

Here the pressures of desire and sex are being ignited well before the intellectual ability to encounter them is ready. Should we not be monitoring and supervising female children even more at this time, and giving them the guidance that they need. Leadership that may not have been necessary in the days of our parents or their parents before.

Could it be the water? I have also heard that early puberty is induced by exposure to artificial light and thus the northern hemisphere is now catching up to the equatorial regions.
Opinions?

Jane, with concern




"You never regarded me as one of this world, but rather as a being, who for some penance was sent from the Kingdom of Shadows; and she passed a few days weeping on the earth and longing to return to her native soil." … Mary Shelly

 

[wolfy]

water

Wow! People still drink that stuff? I thought kids generally drank soda and juice and milk now adays. Maybe alittle bottled water if there isn't anything else available. Maybe it's the lack of water? Or could it be all the freaking sex on tv? I m ean if you get something shoved in your face enough your probably gonna figure it out. Could also be how safe our society is now. Since you can safely have kids at a younger age maybe the girls are slowly evolving to do so. It makes sense in a survival of the fitest type way I guess. You don't have to be as physically fit or emotional fit as you once did to have a child. Maybe it's just a reaction to better medical conditions etc. Oh well enough speculating for now. *lick*

 

[Rolly]

Jane with a friendly pat

wolfy, please read the article. There is many intricacies to this topic.
Thank you for post and I would like to see you comments after you read the composition.

Death is countryless … on a war memorial

 

[Weird Harold]

Or could it be all the freaking sex on tv?

Oddly enough, that's one of the theories presented in the article. It's not considered very likely, but it hasn't been ruled out as a cause.

I would be unconcerned, because both of my daughters were slightly precocious when it came to puberty. HOwever, not every young girl matures mentally as soon as my daughters did.

This concerns me, because of situations like Shelby's friend's 14 year old daughter, who has (apparently) intentionally gotten pregnant to force her parents to let her live with an adult(?) boyfriend. (see babies having babies thread.)

I think a 14y/o who intentionally gets pregnant, is quite possibly a victim of the early sexual attention drawn by early puberty. She has, quite possibly, ruined her life, and made the life of her child much more difficult than it needs to be.

It all comes back to the parents. Early puberty isn't something that most parents dealt with growing up, and they therefore have no idea how to deal with it. Added to the general lack of willingness of parents to talk to their children about sex, this just exacerbates the appalling lack of coherent sex education in the US (and probably the rest of the world as well.)

 

[naudiz]

I've read other articles about the onset of early puberty, and the ones I read mentioned growth hormones in milk and beef products as a possible cause, but I haven't seen any concrete evidence one way or another.

And to think I buy organic because it tastes better. I guess you can never be too careful.

 

[Sammyjo]

I have to comment on this. I was 8 years old when I started wearing a bra...not those training bras...a "B" cup. Lord help me. I was developing faster than the other children, and they were noticing. Then, I got my period. These are things that I did not need to deal with. Not only did my whole family know, but my mom had to explain to my teacher my moodiness...imagine my horror when the girls started asking me if I was "the one". My sisters both developed later than me. I think my youngest sister (who is now 15) had sex before she even got her period. (yikes!!!)

Now, I'm concerned about my daughter, and what this means to her. Is she going to develop early? and God help me if she does. I don't know if I'm ready for all that. Thinking about it...if she follows the same path I did...we will be bra shopping in two years...and having "the talk" shortly thereafter....ugh!!! Give me strength.

 

[Cheyenne]

Should we not be monitoring and supervising female children even more at this time, and giving them the guidance that they need

I read this article yesterday and also considered posting it here on a new thread- you beat me to it, Rolly. I'd like to point out that even though the article concentrated on discussing girls reaching puberty at earlier ages, it also mentioned that the same thing is happening to boys. The difference is that the breast growth of girls can be seen easily while the testes growth of the boys is hidden from normal view and not as obvious to the world. My point is that it isn't just "female children" who need to be monitored and guided at earler ages. Those 14 year old girls are getting pregnant with the help of boys, remember.

 

[Weird Harold]

[BThe difference is that the breast growth of girls can be seen easily while the testes growth of the boys is hidden from normal view and not as obvious to the world. My point is that it isn't just "female children" who need to be monitored and guided at earler ages. Those 14 year old girls are getting pregnant with the help of boys, remember. [/B]

A good point. Parents need to be aware of the signs of early puberty in boys as well.

However, ...

The difference in visibility makes early puberty much harder for girls than it does for boys. Boys don't have to deal with wolf whistles and pats on the bottom befoe they come to grips with the strange things happening to their body.

That minor biological difference in what grows at puberty, leads to a major difference societal pressures.

Also, I'd bet that those 14y/o girls are getting pregnant by MEN as often as they are by boys. (At least by older boys not suffering from early puberty.)

 

[wolfy]

I read it

Ok Rolly I read it Thanks it solidified my thoughts on the subject (not that I had really thought about it before). I was thinking about the whole being exposed to sex part. If you were a kid on a farm wouldn't you be exposed to breeding at least fairly early? And even if it wasn't tv there have been books and stories that involved sex for along time. Maybe kids are being exposed more now but I'm not sure if that would be enough by itself. Basically after I read the entire article It looked pretty much like they don't have a clue why it's happening just that it is. In some ways I think kids have to grow up less now then they used to at least in america but at the same time they are exposed to much more. I guess innocence is lost but responsibility isn't gained as much as it used to be. I think that is really sad and this is just another symptom of that.

 

[Rolly]

different points of view are damn good!

From wolfy;

- It looked pretty much like they don't have a clue why it's happening just that it is.
- I guess innocence is lost but responsibility isn't gained as much as it used to be.

Two very good observations. Both have significant ramifications. Why can the scientists not find the cause?



For example; Sammyjo, being a mother is very concerned and worried about her daughter engaging early development (thanks for the post and input). And Weird Harold’s, point about the early pregnancy thread is very valid and maybe a growing trend in the future, although current stats have teenage pregnancies falling. I wonder for how long and also do we have enough points on the curve to be sure it is a trend?

Cheyenne; Golden made an interesting statement about himself being taught love and sex by an older woman, months back. In it he stated that the older woman’s teachings actually benefited his younger wife, subsequently. (the exact wording I will have to look up). Point being yes, boys are going though puberty faster also, and this then proceeds an early interest in sex. Possibly before the emotions are mature enough to handle it. So let’s not forget males in the equation and they too need help entering the adult word of love -- as generations preceding had not to. Thanks for your point of view, I like it. Also no difficult feelings on my side regarding previous conversations – you seem like a good person.


Parents noticing this occurrence must be very worried. We are entering into uncharted territory here and we may need different solutions than what our parents presented to us. Let keep an open mind regarding guidance and mentoring of the young adults.

Everyone thank you for the information. It has me thinking about it all.

Jane
…and yes, yes, I must get back to my e-mail again.




It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. …Aristotle

 

[Adoratrice]

My daughter started her period when she was 9 1/2 . She is 12 now.I have always been very open with her about all subjects but it was still hard for me to handle her being so young....she is very mature for her age and it wasn't even a big deal to her...she was like "Oh and by the way, I started today". I never gave it much thought as to what caused her to develop so early....(she also wore a B cup at age 11)...I don't know the how's or what's about it but I do know that she is growing up WAY too fast!

 

[Rolly]

The secret of your sucess

Adoratrice? When you say growing up to fast, is that physically or emotionally or both? My concern was when the two get out of sync. Also what was your secret to teaching your daughter to be so calm and rational about early menstruation?

Jane

A woman never shot a man while he was doing dishes.

 

[insideShiraz]

Rolly, I'm your Friend...

I like the Boat Dance...Don't you?