Green Options

My daughter just turned nine.  I’ve been arming myself for when the day arrives that I really have to tackle growing up.  *Sigh* Why can’t they stay little forever?

Recently, I noticed that her skin was getting a bit oily (probably not entirely from budding hormones, we’ve been applying sunscreen liberally).  I went on a search for a safe, natural, easy to use face wash for her.  She is only nine after all and I can’t expect her to remember face washing if its time consuming, messy or gets anything into her eyes.

I had a hard time finding anything I would want to put on her precious skin.  I found several face wash recipes online, but most had to be mixed up prior to each use and were messy.

So, I ventured to our local natural health store and browsed their selections, which we also limited.  I did find one container with 50 wipes in it for everyday face cleansing.  It was similar to those nasty, acne pads without all the nasty.  The container was expensive so we moved on.

I can’t even say the words. I can’t begin to type or tell you the discomfort I have talking to my daughter about puberty.

Why? Uh, because I’m human. If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m fallible. I’ve talked to her. I’ve given her the facts of life, intercourse, menstruation, puberty, hair, smells… I literally cannot write in complete sentences. Every conversation is punctuated with blushing, and I refer her to Granny. “Please, ask your Granny.”

Today the email came. You know the one. It’s from the Science Teacher and it outlines the Fourth Grade Sex Ed Cirriculum. I showed it to my husband, and he just laughed, “talk to your daughter.”

We all know that every little girl is going to become a woman someday. There are those of us who wish that day would stay far away and there are those who embrace and celebrate the transition from childhood to adulthood.

For some reason, having my oldest daughter turned eight was difficult for me. I looked at this blond haired, blue eyed, angel and realized she is quickly going to be taller than I am and that she is now becoming an independent being. I was devastated. Then I started sweating… at what point do I start talking to her about PUBERTY? For crying out loud, she is eight. When I looked around our community I realized that some girls need this information by 8 or 9 while others don’t until 13 or later. The last thing I want is my child to enter the world of becoming a woman without being informed.

So, I set out on a mission to prepare her (and myself). Thankfully there are a lot of good books out there, so grab one (or several) that you’ve read through and get ready. Decide on the age and how much you want to cover. We’ve started with the basics and I have the kit on hand to bring out when the time comes.