I clicked on an article today. And I could totally relate. The headline read:
Retailer pulls girls’ padded bikini bra
British store criticized for promoting premature sexualization
My 9 year old keeps repeating what the pediatrician told her last month. "Time to go bra shopping," she nudges. During her yearly physical, the doctor took note of her barely swollen nipples.
Sam thinks her boobs are bigger than they actually are. She fake whines about growing pains, but secretly loves it. Not so secretly, actually, because she has shared her excitement with me. I catch her in the mirror, observing her body from all angles. She lays on the couch, one hand on the i-Touch, the other semi-consciously surveying her evolving human landscape.
I did the same thing when i was developing, except I was exploring at 14 or maybe even 15, not 9. I was a late bloomer -- the first one to get teased and the last one to get a bra. My Polish grandmother owned a children's clothing store. She sold training bras. She never offered me one. There was simply nothing to train.
For Sam, support isn't critical at this juncture, but she wants bras. And the shelves are mostly stocked with padded bras even for her size. I told her that I would put bra shopping on the calendar for sometime in the near future. Until then I will guide her to steer clear of tight white tees and distract her with fresh tank tops with built in bras.
