Private period

About a month before my first period, I noticed that there were pads in the closet in the bathroom. I was 11 and knew what they were, but I didn't know why they were suddenly there. The day it started it was late spring/early summer, and my mom was having a yard sale. I was sitting at the computer, playing a game, and suddenly really had to go to the bathroom. My 'stomach' (later this would be attributed to cramping) had been feeling 'weird' all morning. I was bleeding, lightly, and realized immediately what was happening. I didn't tell anyone - lets suffice to say that I was an extremely private child, and that my mother mostly encouraged this. I didn't use one of the pads in the closet, because I didn't want to have to explain what was happening. I hid the whole period, and the stained undies afterwards. In fact, I hid having my period until it started once while my family was on vacation, and I had no option BUT to tell my mom - luckily, she was expecting it to 'start' and had brought pads with her.

I wish that menstruation had been put in a positive light in my childhood, or at least not as a thing to hide. I was completely embarrassed by it, instead of viewing it as it is - a gift. It took me years to get over completely privatizing my period. If I have a daughter, I will do everything I can to get her to celebrate and enjoy being a woman. We rock :)