- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preschoolers today articles
- preschoolers today q&a
- children today articles
- children today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
First Bra Buying Basics
7 Tips to Make the First Bra a Good Experience
By Melinda Copp
Understand that the first bra is a rite of passage into womanhood, and it's an important, very private part of your daughter's life. So respect her and her body, and keep in mind that you only get one chance to do this right.
"Don't announce at dinner that you're taking your daughter shopping for her first bra; don't announce it in the carpool lane; and don't let her overhear you telling anyone on the phone," says April Masini, author and advice columnist. "Respect this time in her life by letting her be the one to tell whomever she wants to tell."
Your daughter might be thrilled about needing her first bra, or she might be horrified. And every teen will feel differently about talking to her mother about this subject, so play it safe and don't make it a huge deal. And be perceptive to your daughter's cues that she might be ready.
"My daughter is just 8, but she is already developing a little and I thought she needed some support, so I started talking to her about bras," says Sandra Gordon, a mom from Weston, Conn. "She resisted the idea at first, then mentioned one day that she saw that they had bras for little girls at a store we had visited when shopping for underwear and socks. I took that as a sign she was open to the idea, so I went to the Gap and bought her two sports bras. Later that day, I gave them to her and said, 'These are just to have. You don't need to wear them if you don't want to, but I thought you might like a little support." Her daughter has worn a bra ever since.
"Having worked in fashion and as a fit specialist for the swimwear industry, I knew that when it was time to buy my daughter's first bra, I needed to take her to a bra fitter," says Genma Stringer Holmes, a mom from Hermitage, Tenn. "I went to Dillards and made sure she was sized and measured properly."
