Parenting minefield #42: Welcome to the world of tweens!

This week I caught the Mini-Fashionista reading a 'NW' left at our home by my sister (for me to catch up on my dose of useless knowledge and celebs - thanks sis'). Anyhoo, the Mini-Fashionista is almost 9 (her words, not mine), and had more than a few questions from reading the mag. 'Why would anyone want to lose weight fast?' 'I LOVE this fashion' - then I noticed it's the 'outfit' on the fail list for being a little too streetwalker. The questions went on... I tried convincing her to read something else, but she kept going back to her new mag. It all came to an abrupt end when her charming little brothers drew moustaches on everyone in the mag. HILARIOUS! Well, they thought so, the Mini-Fashionista...not so much. Which lead me to our local supermarket... and to the latest edition of Dolly. And whoosh, there goes my little girl, straight past barbies and My Little Ponies... Did you read Dolly? I remember loving the pre-read copies I got from my lovely cousins. It was an insight into a whole new world, where all my enbarassing questions could be answered. Periods. Boys. Boobs and bras. You name it, Dolly had the answers. So back to the supermarket and Dolly. I stood there, frozen for more than a few seconds. Is 'almost 9' too young to read Dolly? Surely she is way too young to think about boys, boobs or periods? Then I thought back to when I was almost 9, life was starting to get a little confusing. I had lots of questions, and all around me girls were getting interested in boys, boys were starting to behave a little strange (that doesn't change though does it?) a few girls got their periods. Dolly didn't make sense of everything, but it made me feel a little more normal, and I learnt about a lot of embarassing stuff (remember Dolly Doctor?). So I bought the Mini-Fashionista her first ever copy of Dolly. When I got home I presented it to her and - she LOVED it.