Girlology

The ultimate straight-talk book for teen girls (ages 11 up) According to Girlology, knowledge is power-or more specifically-Girl Power! Whether you believe it or not, there's a lot more to know about the body and the opposite sex. This book will give you confidence and girl power to build you goals, beliefs and future. In this book you will find straight-talk about: * Friendships * Parents * Sex * Sexuality * Teen relationships * Media influences * Values * Decision making And it does it without being preachy, dull and scientific. Think about it, couldn't you use a little Girl Power to deal with everything in your life?!

Why Me? Why Now? Spin, spin, spin. If you are a preteen or teen girl, we bet that's what your head is doing right now! You are probably whirling in a sea of mysterious body changes, relationship blowups and confusing information. At school and with friends, you hear chatter about periods, gossip about boyfriends and whispers about sex. And you are probably bursting with questions. What is all this hair in weird places? Exactly how does sex happen, and why would anyone want to do that? Do I use the nasty words I see on the bathroom wall to talk about sex? What's this stuff in my underwear? What's up with my friends? Why do we fight and then make up all the time now? How doyou tell the difference between a boyfriend and a friend who's a boy? How about love and lust? And why don't my parents get it anymore? Guess what? There's nothing wrong with having questions or wanting to know moreespecially when it comes to your body, sex and relationships. All those crazy and confusing questions . . . they're normal! And you probably are, too! (Do we hear a big sigh of relief?) Girlhood Is a Gift! You're a girl. And you are made in an amazing and wonderful way. Because you are a girl, some things are going to happen to you: breasts, hips, pimples, periods, crushes on guys, fights with girlfriends, parents who don't get it. You have no choice; they will happen! You are turning into a young woman, and your body and your brain are making these changes because you are developing sexually. So doesn't it make sense that this is the time in your life to learn about these things? Some things are guaranteed to happen. But there are other girl things you can make choices abouthow you take care of your new body, how you use your newfound sex appeal, when you will kiss a guy or how you talk about sex to your parents. Even though there are a lot of things happening to you that are out of your control, it's good to know that there are a lot of other things that you can control. Girlology is going to help you open up your girlhood like a gift. We'll rip off the wrapping paper, explore the mysteries inside, learn facts about all things girl and help you gain the confidence you need to decide what kind of girl you want to be. So, What Is Girlology? Before we dive in, let's first tell you what Girlology is not: * Girlology is not a sex talk like you get at school. * It's not a science lesson. * It's not like a lecture from your parents. All those things can be good, but they are not Girlology. Girlology is different. Girlology was written by two female doctors who also happen to be mothers of daughters; one of us is a pediatrician (a doctor for children and teenagers up to about 18 years old) and the other is an obstetrician/ gynecologist (fancy words for a doctor who specializes in delivering babies and taking care of girls' and women's body parts that are involved in making babies). Both of us take care of lots of teens who are developing

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Excerpted from Girlology: A Girl's Guide to Stuff That Matters by Melisa Holmes, M.D., Patricia Hutchinson
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.