Читать книгу A Smart Girl's Guide: Worry - Nancy Holyoke - Страница 11

Life is changing.

Friendships can be complicated. There’s more drama, more gossip,

more tension in the lunchroom. At the same time, your body is

changing. The “you” you are today may not feel at all like the one

you were last year. Lots of girls worry about what comes next.

Will my breasts start growing soon? What if my period starts

in the middle of dance class? Your body will do exactly what it’s

supposed to, but it will have its own unpredictable timetable.

Your world is getting bigger.

You are building your independence. More and more, you’re

venturing out of the cozy cocoon your parents watched over

when you were little. You’re deciding more things for yourself.

It’s exciting, but a bit scary. You’re not always certain what to do.

Things feel less safe.

Weather disasters, wars in distant countries, unsafe schools.

Bad news can be worrisome even for adults. For kids who

are just beginning to pay attention, it may be plain scary.

What kind of world are you stepping into anyway?

There are always problems.

Of course, there are plenty of things closer to home that a

girl might have good reason to worry about, too. One girl may

have a loved one who’s sick. Another may be anxious about

arguments in the family. Money problems. Marriage problems.

It’s a lucky girl who doesn’t have at least some family concerns

on her list. And as if that weren’t enough . . .

Worry can be contagious.

If adults or others around her tend to worry about things,

a girl can pick up the worry habit. A girl whose aunt shrinks

from meeting new people, or whose dad is too frightened to

fly on airplanes, might learn to be anxious—not only about

those specific things but about other things, too.

Add it up.

A day has only 24 hours, but for a lot of

girls that means a bajillion opportunities

to worry about something.