Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Starting your day
• Part 2 of 4: Maintain a good routine at school
• Part 3 of 4: Ending the day
• Part 4 of 4: Dealing with your period
• Tips

Between the ages of 9 and 13, as a prepubescent girl, you experience many changes, including changes to your body, friendships, emotions, and how you relate to the world. A good daily routine can help you deal with these things while staying healthy and happy at the same time.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Starting your day

1. Get enough sleep at night. Between the ages of 9-13 you need about 10-12 hours of sleep every night. Above 18, the required number of hours drops to 7 to 9. The exact amount varies from person to person, but as a rule of thumb, you will know that you have slept enough when you wake up feeling fit. If someone has to wake you up and you're exhausted and cranky, then you probably haven't gotten enough sleep.
   • If you have to get up for school at 6 am, you should go to bed no later than 8 pm. Your friends may stay up longer, but growth and brain development especially happens at night when you sleep, so don't sell yourself short by staying up too long.
   • While sleeping in on the weekend may be tempting, try to maintain a consistent routine as much as possible.
2. Go to the toilet. This may sound too simple, but it is important to empty your bladder early in the morning before doing other things. Holding a full bladder for too long can cause cystitis, which is very painful.
   • Make sure to wipe well. Wipe from front to back, never back to front. This is because the bacteria in faeces sometimes remain on your anus and if you wipe from back to front they can get into your vagina and cause inflammation.
3. Wash your face. Some prepubers may not need to wash their face just yet, but as you get older your face starts to produce an oily substance called sebum. Sebum can make your face glow and oily and is often associated with the development of acne, both of which are caused by changing hormones. This is a normal part of puberty, but it takes an extra step in your daily routine to take care of your face.
   • Use a mild facial cleanser. If you have acne, you can use a facial cleanser with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which can help get rid of blemishes.
   • Use a gentle moisturizer with at least an SPF of 30 to protect your skin from sun damage and replenish the moisture you lost while washing.
4. Use deodorant. As you get older, hormonal changes will cause your sweat to smell more than when you were young. If you're concerned about the smell, you can use a deodorant, which masks the smell of sweat, or an anti-perspirant, which actually prevents you from sweating so much under your arms.
   • Consider starting with a mild natural deodorant like Tom's of Maine and if that doesn't provide the protection you want, try an anti-perspirant.
5. Get dressed. If you have a school uniform or dress code, stick to it. In other cases, you just make sure your clothes are clean. You can choose clothes that reflect your personality.
   • Sometimes prepubes feel a lot of pressure to dress like their best friends, or even older girls. You should wear what makes you happy and comfortable, and try not to worry about what other people choose to do.
   • Friends who pressure you to dress or look a certain way are not good friends. That's called peer pressure, and you don't need friends like that in your life. True friends love you just the way you are.
6. Do your hair. Whatever you like, do it. You can wave, straighten or curl it. Make sure you like it and that it makes you feel good and confident. You will radiate this feeling and others will feel it too.
7. Decide if you want to put on makeup. At this age, it's normal for many girls to experiment with a little bit of makeup, but you don't necessarily have to do this if you don't want to or if you don't have the time. Make-up is just for fun.
   • Talk to your parents before wearing makeup. Many parents prefer their daughters to wait until a certain age to wear makeup, and some parents have a rule that prepubescent girls should not wear makeup to school.
   • If you have permission from your parents to wear make-up, start with a little. It takes time to learn how to properly apply makeup. Start with one thing, like lip gloss. After a few weeks, you can add a little skin-colored eyeshadow with some glitter.
   • You don't have to cover your entire face, and a lot of foundation and concealer can clog your pores and cause a rash.
8. Eat a healthy breakfast. It is very important to start a school day with a healthy breakfast that will help you focus on school and give you the energy you need to make it through to lunch.
   • A healthy breakfast consists of proteins, whole grains and fruit. Try yogurt with muesli and fresh fruit or whole grain cereal with milk. Do not choose pizza or particularly fatty and heavy products.
9. Brush your teeth. Plaque and food particles from your breakfast mix with the bacteria in your mouth and cause bad breath. Brushing your teeth also reduces your risk of cavities and keeps your smile fresh and shiny.
   • You are probably still changing at your age, but most of your teeth are permanent adult teeth. It is important to take care of these teeth to avoid decay and holes. Use a fluoride toothpaste and a soft toothbrush. You need to brush your teeth for about 3 minutes: make sure to cover every surface of every tooth.
10. Grab your lunch and school bag and go to school. Give yourself enough time to get ready so you don't have to rush. Make sure you start your day with a good attitude!
    • Having a positive attitude and expecting good things to happen during your day will actually increase the chances of having a good day.

Part 2 of 4: Maintain a good routine at school

1. Be on time for your lessons. It is important that it becomes a habit to be a good student and that means good study habits, attendance and participation.
   • Getting to class on time and with the right materials (books, pens, homework, etc.) requires self-discipline. Your teachers see which students are doing their best to be on time and to do their work on time.
2. Eat a healthy lunch. In some high schools you can buy a lot and in other schools you can only buy one thing. If you have to bring your own lunch, it is important to choose a lunch that contains enough fuel for the rest of the day.
   • Try to include all five food groups: fruits, vegetables, proteins, whole grains and dairy. Don't forget to drink water too!
3. Go to the toilet. You may not have many times between classes to go to the bathroom, but you should empty your bladder (and bowels if necessary) about every four hours.
   • Remember that not going to the bathroom often can cause bladder infections. You can also have an accident if you wait too long. You should plan to go at least once during the school day, around lunch time if possible.
4. Maintain good friendships. At this age, it is common for girls to argue with their girlfriends from time to time. Don't let your friends actually bully you or force you to do things you don't actually want.
   • Prepubating girls grow and change and their personalities and interests change too. It is not surprising that prepubescent girls find out that friends they have had since childhood no longer suit them. Instead of arguing or gossiping, find new friends who are a better match for you.

Part 3 of 4: Ending the day

1. After school you do all your homework. It is normal for homework to be more difficult and time consuming in these classes. You may need to ask your parents or an older sibling for help.
   • Find a quiet place where you can do your homework every day after school, such as an office, bedroom, or even the public library if the home is too busy to concentrate.
   • Keep an agenda to write down homework assignments and due dates. Even a simple writing system works. It is important to develop your organizational skills now, as the amount of homework you will receive will only increase over the next few years.
2. Get moving. It is important that you plan time in your day to be physically active. Exercise is very good for your health and also helps to reduce stress. Scheduling time for exercise after school is especially important if you don't have any sports or gym at school that day.
   • Try to be active for at least 60 minutes every day. You can choose any activity that suits your personality: swimming, dancing, cycling, running, even playing tag in the garden counts!
3. Eat healthy in the evening. It's important to fuel your body with a variety of foods with every meal. Dinner is usually the largest meal, so make sure to eat foods that are healthy.
   • The United States Department of Agriculture has made it easy to plan a healthy meal using a plate. Half of your plate should consist of fruit and vegetables and the other half of grains and proteins. Have a glass of milk or some cheese or yogurt.
   • Avoid soda and other sugary drinks. Water or milk will give you the nutrients you need without unhealthy additives and sugar. Also watch out with salt; most people take too much salt, which can be dangerous for your heart.
   • While you don't need to stress about calories, keep in mind that if you eat too much or too little, you won't have the right amount of energy to do the things you love.
   • Consider helping your parents cook. You are old enough to learn the basics of cooking and meal preparation, and cooking is an important life skill and good for bonding with your parent. If your family has a cookbook, ask your mom or dad if you can choose a few dishes and help prepare them each week.
4. Take a shower. Remember that as you grow you will produce more oiliness and sweat, which can lead to an odor. Bacteria also like sweat and greasiness, so you need to shower or bathe regularly to wash it all off. If you do sports, you should take a shower or bath as soon as possible afterwards if you have been sweating a lot.
   • Make sure to wash your face, especially if you have oily skin, sweaty skin, or use makeup.
5. Go to bed at bedtime. The next morning you wake up and do everything again.
   • As you get used to your daily routine, you may find that some things need to be planned differently to fit into your schedule or family life. That is allowed! Do what works for you to stay healthy, clean and happy.

Part 4 of 4: Dealing with your period

1. Learn about your period. Somewhere in prepuberty, your period will likely start. Your period is a normal part of growing up for girls, but it can take some getting used to adjusting your daily routine and incorporating menstrual hygiene.
   • Most girls have their periods around the age of 12, but some girls much earlier or much later. Don't worry if you're the first - or last - to have your period. Some signs that your period will soon be breast growth (when your breasts start to grow and you need a bra), underarm hair and pubic hair. When these things happen, your period often follows within a few months.
   • You usually menstruate once a month for 3-7 days, but when you first get it, you may miss a few months in a row or get your periods more than once a month while your body is getting used to your period .
2. Plan for your period. When you have your period, you have to put sanitary pads in your underpants to absorb the blood. Otherwise you will get blood stains in your underpants and pants and it might end up on your chair. You should change the sanitary napkin regularly to prevent it from leaking and to keep it fresh. Some girls prefer tampons, which you insert into the vagina to absorb blood.
   • The first day of a period is usually the heaviest and is followed by days of lighter bleeding. You may bleed a lot or little or just "spot" or get small drops of blood, especially in the first months of your period. How much or how little blood comes out is called "menstrual bleeding".
   • How often you need to change your pads depends on how heavy your bleeding is. You may prefer to change it every two hours until you get used to your bleeding and know what to expect.
   • The first time you get your period, you may not be prepared with a sanitary napkin. If it happens at school, you go to a female employee. Tell your parent or caregiver differently and they'll make sure you get the supplies you need.
3. Stay clean. Make sure to go the extra mile to stay clean and fresh during your period. Menstrual blood doesn't really stink, but if you don't wash it off, it can develop an unpleasant odor when it dries on your skin.
   • In addition to changing your sanitary pads every few hours, you should make sure you shower every day.
   • Use a mild soap to wash your vulva and bottom and make sure to rinse well. You don't have to clean the inside of your vagina (actually, that can cause an infection).
4. Be prepared for emotional and physical side effects. It is very common for girls and women to experience different symptoms during that time of the month. Don't be surprised if you experience any of the following:
   • Emotional changes, including tears or mood swings.
   • Fatigue.
   • Abdominal cramps, nausea or headaches.
   • Talk to your doctor, health care provider, or parents about medications you can take if your symptoms are bothering you.

Tips

• Don't forget to shower after school if you don't shower in the morning.
• Always wash your face to wash off that day's makeup.