Women usually start the shift to during their mid-to late 40s and then reach menopause a few years later. The the average age for puberty to start in girls is 11 and age 12 for boys. If you had your children in your 30s, as do, this means a decade or so later, hormones could be raging among a large proportion of your household.
Mood swings, anxiety and low self-esteem, plus the bodily changes associated with both puberty and menopause, mean that while both the child and parent are going through similar issues, they might struggle to support each other. We spoke to some mums to find out their tips for coping with this complex time in their lives. Puberty is a time when teenagers can be notoriously reluctant to communicate.
If you combine this with peri-menopausal and menopausal symptoms like mood swings and anxiety then it can cause resentment and anger to build, on both sides. As with all challenging times as a parent, sitting down to have a rational and honest conversation will help avoid conflict. Mum says: “My daughter started her periods just after mine stopped, which, quite irrationally, made me feel very old and sad.
” Beckloff’s experience is really common, but speaking to your child about these feelings will hopefully help them understand what you’re going through. Menopause specialist says there are ways to avoid tense times at home: “Open communication is crucial here. By discussing what you're both going through, you can foster mutual understanding and pat.