I am a teacher in a middle school.  It is interesting to watch the 6th graders.  By 7th grade 12 or 13 years old, they are in the thick of puberty!!   You do see the body development.  However, it is the personality changes that seem to be wow!

They are very argumentative, know it all, cry and then laugh the next minute, and EAT EVERYTHING THEY SEE!  They seem to eat a lot! 

They are concerned about what everyone is thinking about them.  They often feel others are talking about them even when they are not.  They seem to want to conform to everyone around.  Originality is not their moto!

Julie

My youngest daughter has been going through puberty since 4 1/2.  She has precocious puberty.  I noticed the body odor first then hair under arms and pubic.  Acne and breast development.  She is on medication to stop her period so she hasn't got that.  Good luck, both my older daughters started around 11 when they got their periods so stalk up on supplies.  I encouraged them to use wipes with each bathroom vist to remain fresh.

Low and behold, now Always has wipes attached to their packages.  Hmmm should have pattend that one.

 

My eight year old is already entering the stinky-pits club. I think I'm going to have to introduce her to deoderant already! (Do they still make it in "Love's Baby Soft" scent? :-)

It seems like children are creeping up on puberty earlier these days. Some of the 5th grade girls at our school are down right developed already. That's why I've been talking to me kids about clothing, boys, and sexuality since they were wee ones (three years old). I think the time to lay down the ground work for open communication about classically "uncomfortable" topics is earlier rather than later.

-Magpie Girl

 

Breasts are the first to develop, then the moods start to happen and when u time them over the months u get a better idea of when they will rear their ugly heads again lol. My daughter is 11 going on 12 in December and she has had breast development and mood swings for almost a year now. The hairy bits are starting now so she will probably start her periods next year. I have been getting her to take multivitimins for the past four months for the mood swings and they seem to help. But Boy she can be scary some months, thinking of giving her evening primrose soon!

well my sister inlaw is 6 almost 7 and shes got bumps forming on her chest already which tends to be an early indication that they will start soon and watch out for mood swings lol i know i had them bad

I'd be taking notes from the minute they get interested in the opposite sex and I mean a real intrest not just the little crushes they get but a real interst.