Taking time to think about what to do with your life, to understand you do have choices, is always beneficial-especially at these two milestones of womanhood. That's nearly as long as her reproductive cycle has lasted. Learning about puberty begins years earlier. Teaching children to understand and respect their bodies can have a major effect on their attitudes about such issues as sex and body image during adolescence. The best way to teach healthy behavior is to model it.
Fathers also have a big role to play by modeling healthy, caring and nurturing behavior.
If her mom and dad have a loving, respectful relationship, a girl is more likely to seek the same types of relationships with the opposite sex. Stress health, not thinness. If a young woman is physically active and eating right, she's likely to be healthy-and her weight will usually take care of itself. Offer accurate, thorough sex information. Besides providing a thorough physical checkup, the appointment is an appropriate time to discuss safe sex practices including abstinence.