58: Perimenopause, Puberty and the Undeniable Parallels

If you’re raising a daughter while navigating perimenopause yourself, this episode will help you see puberty and midlife hormone changes in a new, more compassionate light.

What if puberty and perimenopause aren’t opposite ends of womanhood, but mirrors of each other?

In this episode, I’m joined by Konika Ray Wong, co-founder of Girl Power Science, longtime puberty educator, body literacy specialist, and author of One in a Million – A First Book About Periods. Konika has spent more than two decades teaching girls (and their parents) how to understand body changes without fear, shame, or secrecy and she’s on a mission to reframe puberty as a set of superpowers, not a crisis.

We talk about when to start talking to girls about their bodies (much earlier than most of us realize), how to explain periods without panic, and why the emotional, hormonal, and physical shifts of puberty look shockingly similar to what many of us are experiencing in perimenopause right now.

Along the way, we cover brain remodeling, mood swings, belly changes, sleep disruption, body image, hormones, stem cells, and…rage vacuuming.

If you’re a midlife woman raising a daughter,or healing your own puberty story while navigating perimenopause, this conversation is both practical and deeply validating.

Connect with Konika

girlpowerscience.com | @girlpowerscience

🩷Please share this episode with a fellow midlife mom who could use a little guidance with these conversations.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Starting Early: Body Awareness Conversations

05:10 When and How to Talk about Puberty

12:18 When and How to Talk about Menstruation

16:25 Common Mistakes Parents Make

20:11 The Parallels Between Puberty and Perimenopause

27:12 Key Takeaways

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