What kind of emotions do girls go through during puberty?
All girls go through emotional changes during puberty. Some are affected more than others as estrogen and progesterone cycle through their bodies. The combination of social and school pressures and moodiness can cause emotional outbursts and conflict with parents. You may think your sweet girl has turned into a mean girl. When you see her actions impacting others, it’s worth providing her with a safe space to “feel all her feels,” or share her emotions. Step in whenever there are issues of safety or morality, and otherwise provide safe harbor for her to explore her new identity. Avoid being a helicopter parent or a “snowplow,” shoveling all stress out of her way. Allowing her to learn from her mistakes, as long as they’re not life-threatening ones, shows your confidence in her ability to problem-solve for herself. If you see signs of anxiety, depression or other mental health challenges, share your concerns with her healthcare provider. Sometimes, prescribing hormonal therapy, such as birth control medication, can ease symptoms and improve mood. Other times, she may need counseling or other medications to help manage moods and build skills to develop resiliency and fine-tune her strengths.