Take Control

Excerpted from GUY STUFF published and copyrighted 2017 by American Girl Publishing. Illustration by Micah Player. All rights reserved.

During puberty, it’s a sure thing that you are going to have moments when you feel like your body is totally rebelling against you. Sometimes you just have to ride it out. But a lot of the time, you can take control over the situation by treating your body with respect.

• Put good stuff in it: Eat healthy food and drink lots of water.
• Put good stuff on it: Wear helmets, sunscreen, and hats when needed.
• Put it to bed: Get enough sleep to reboot for the next day.

Growing up healthfully is as much about what you don’t do to your body as it is about you do do. So keep the bad stuff out!

PS about privacy. Some kids are more touchy-feely than others, but in general there are good kinds of touching and not-good kinds. The good touch is a hug from your grandma. The not-good one is contact from a stranger—or even someone you know—that feels awkward or uncomfortable. If anyone ever touches you that way, tell them it’s not OK. If he or she tells you to keep it a secret, DON’T. Tell a trusted adult right away.  Remember your body belongs to you.