Is my daughter growing up too fast?

Question

I have a 9-year-old daughter and within the last 6 months or so it seems like she's gone from innocent 9 to trendy, boy-crazy 16! All of a sudden she's obsessed with Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers and she put all of these posters of High School Musical and similar stuff on her walls. She's got all of these friends now, boys and girls, and she wants all of these trendy clothes for school. I'm just so freaked out by the whole thing and I don't know how to handle it! Is it normal for a 9-year-old to be acting like a teenager and for her personality to change so drastically so quickly? She used to be such a sweet little tomboy. ANY advice welcome!

Answer 1

its normal to like hannah montana and all those disney stars...when i was her age i also liked disney....i mean hannah montana and high school musical was made for  the younger crowd....not soo much for 15,16,or 17...just ask someone that age...every girl loves to be in the fashion let her as well. ya know,now in these days she dosent wat to go through peer pressure and all that stuff......let her be a girl unless it gets really bad were she wants mini-skirs and see through clothes or spaggeti straps.....hope it helped and yes i am a teen!!!...(lol)

Answer 2

sounds normal to me!

i'm 16, and to me and my friends, that would be 9yr old behaviour!

Answer 3

normal!!! I don't like hannah montana or HSM but i have a stack of like 200 magazine pages and I buy all these trendy clothes too, i am still a ttomboy too and Alot of people at her age have boyfriends, you better look out for her

Answer 4

Completely normal.  It started at 9 with my daughter as well as most of her friends.

Answer 5

OK my friend... I must say WOW!!! Obviously there a lot of younger people that read these than I thought, and yet one or two of them actually make valid points. I.E Lauren, for 17 you seem wise beyond your years... I attribute that to two things, 1) a smart and focused young lady obviously and #2) and most importantly in my opinion the product of quality parenting. Anyway enough about that and back to your question....

What I think is that you have a daughter who is definitely maturing but at a healthy rate. The key here is to both encourage growth (mental growth and maturity) and morality. Let her grow and learn but watch carefully for signs pointing towards growing to fast such as items like Lauren pointed out. The kissing making out ect..... You may even want to consider talking about the Birds and bees. I know it may sound a bit early but with the trends the way they have been in last decade or so I do not think it would be to early at all. And one would be fooling themselves if they thought "it will never happen to me!" I'm sure all the parents of the teens who all planned to be pregnant at the same time thought that would never happen either....

Anyway you look at it your little girl isn't the sweet little barbie girl anymore. Although there will be times she reverts back and that is ok too! It's just she has discovered a new side to life and is anxious to explore it... let her explore with a guided and loving hand but DO NOT use that hand to hold her back!!! It will only cause resentment and possibly defiance....

STAY INVOLVED!!!!  

Answer 6

I think this is pretty normal. I have had posters of stuff like that on my walls for as long as I can remember (I'm 17).  I'm sure it is just that she is getting older and you probably don't want her to grow up. My mom still treats me like a baby.  I think that it is good that she wants to be trendy and cares about what she looks like but just don't let her go overboard.  I've seen parents at Hollister, Abecrombie, etc. with their little 8 year olds buying them whatever they want.  I think you should start to worry only if she starts talking about things inappropriate for her age, like kissing/making out, stuff like that.  My advice would be to let her be herself, just make sure she doesn't go to overboard.  And just don't let her turn out in to spoiled teenager.

Answer 7

I'd say it's pretty normal. She's about ready to enter puberty and trying to fit in with her peers. I know it can be hard to let her grow up, but it's part of life. Just be there for her and guide her. Make sure she doesn't  focus too much on the superficial things. She needs to understand that beauty comes from within; not from makeup or designer clothes. It's also important that she learns to like who she is as a person and find her own sense of style and not give in to peer pressure. Help her develop her character, so that she can be strong in her beliefs.  

Answer 8

ummmmm..... i dont not even one 9 yr. old who is not like that!

dont worry!

Answer 9

yes. my daughter did this about this age. she was 9 going on 15. i see it alot. and doing it this quickly is a typical welcome to the daughter is growing up routine. stay open, and whatever you do, pick your fights.  

Answer 10

Well, some girls hit puberty at 9! Hec one hit puberty at 3!

Answer 11

That is incredibly normal, i promise. Ask some other mothers that you know personally with girls her age or even younger. Hannah Montana and the jonas brothers were meant for kids her age, and it's healthy for her to have boys and girls as friends, rather than be uncomfortable with the opposite s*x.

Answer 12

Oh so normal!

I think she has a quit more change coming too.  But then she will seem younger again for a time but then suddenly another burst into adolescence.

Your little girl is growing up!