Puberty is about change--shape, size, voice, attitude and it is about independence.  During puberty boys and girls often find comfort in "being alike" all their friends. Dressing alike and acting alike are sometimes good and sometimes not so good. It is a time that bullies flourish because many tweens don't feel confident in themselves. It is also a time that many adults don't listen to them.  So--puberty should be a time of making good friends and playing sports, building healthy bodies, learning about the changes of puberty, making music and learning to be kind.

Remember: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.  Eleanor Roosevelt.

Wayne Yankus, MD, FAAP
expert panelist: pediatrics