Mom and Intro to Periods

My Mom was terrible in this subject...thank GOD for the 5th grade
sex ed. trip! Anyways. when I had my girls I vowed to be very open and honest to them. Now my girls are 9 and 7, my 9 year old has questions that I openly answer her. Like, "Mommy, what are napkins and tampon's for in public bathroom's?" was the most recent. I also bought a "All About Me" book thru American Girl that has helped her, and me, through these challenging issue's!

LOL, my mom was terrible in this department. I was eleven and scared out of my mind, my mom ran through what to do and sent me off to school. After my period ended I thought I was a pregnant virgin 11 year old!!!!! I was so confused and my step sister who was a year younger then me filled me in on the details. I have gone through this with my daughter and she knew in advance what was going to happen how often and what was normal. I had her prepared in advance so all went smoothly :)

My mom was great. I am her only daughter out of 7 kids. I have one younger brother the rest are older. I can talk to my parents about anything, or, my brothers. I hope that when I do have kids I am just as close with them. I have helped 2 of my older niece's through this also. They are close to me and I like knowing the fact that they can talk to me about anything. I am now raising 2 of my younger niece's. One is almost 8 yrs. old, and I am going to have to start talking to her soon.

I guess I was sort of lucky, I started my period with my stepmom around. That was before she went all 'evil step mother' on me. She was so excited, and congratulated me. She was incredibly happy and kept reminding me how she didn't have a daughter, and I was the only daughter she's ever had. She was really loud and proud about it.

The first time I had my period with my mom around, well that was more embarrassing, and made me feel horrible because she didn't have her period for years, since I was a lot younger. I yelled to her that I had started from my seat upon the throne, and she came to the door, and uncaringly asked me what she was supposed to do about it. Since it was only the second or third time ever that I had my period, and I was only 12, I certainly didn't know what to do. My mom never was the nurturing type.

When I have daughters I plan to explain as much as possible to them when they ask. I want them to have the Diva Cup, because I've found that it is IMMENSELY better than pads or tampons. Plus I'm a pro-environment chick. Anything that doesn't add to the landfills is great in my book. I hope that I can be really close with all my kids, especially my girls, and I want to make sure that they are comfortable with becoming women because it is important for self-esteem, and development.

When I got my first period I was getting ready for P.E. in 5th grade. We had just started the swimming curriculum. I stuffed my undies with toilet paper and told the teacher I didn't feel good. Lucky cause I was an overweight child and didn't want to be in a swimsuit in front of my peers.

I honestly can't remember how my mom handled it. I really want to know now.

I do remember that my aunt took my sister out for dinner and shopping on a day off from school because she was the first of all the cousins to get a visit from AF. I was jealous that I didn't get the same treatment.

I will be sure to do that if I ever have a daughter.

I absolutely HATED pads. Since my flow was always heavy it felt like wearing a diaper. I tried a tampon once and when I walked it was soooo uncomfortable. Obviously I figured out it wasn't in correctly. Once I got it right, I never looked back.

My mum was great - I was on holiday when I started and I was terrified and emotional and annoyed at being forced to realise I was growing up, but the first thing I did was tell my mum who was on the beach sunbathing at the time. She calmed me down, asked if I was ok and asked if I wanted her to come back to the apartment with me, which we did. She had never really explained any of that - including all the stuff about sex and that 'talk' - but I had picked up all I needed to know from school and the people around me, so I didn't need her to, but it was really easy just to talk to her about it when it happened and ever since then I have always discussed it with her openly and she has always answered any questions I have had. She even did me the big favour of telling my dad for me, even though I didn't ask her too, but he went to the shops a few times for me when I had run out of pads and is always sympathetic when I get cramps, so I owe both my parents a lot on that front. I hope my daughter feels as close to me and feels she can talk as openly to me as I can to my parents - it's a real blessing.