I was a kid who couldnt wait to grow up. I was fascinated by teenagers, read every Judy Blume book in my elementary school library and was thrilled when, in the summer after fifth grade, my mom packed maxi pads in my camp bag just in case. She had gotten her period at 11 and told me it was possible that I would as well.

But much to my disappointment, those just-in-case pads werent needed that summer, or even the one after that. Despite what I had hoped, I didnt get my period until the incredibly average age of 13.

Nevertheless, plenty of kids do start puberty on the early side, whether they want to or not, and talking to them about what is on the horizon well before this happens is a key part of helping them grow up confident, informed and safe.