Mom and Intro to Periods

I honestly don't know what I will do when my daughter is of age. My neice is 12 yrs old and on mother's day came to me and told me she got her THING i started to cry, she thought i was just happy but I told her i am not happy but how sorry I am. My sister was laughing her head off. I really don't remember what my mom said to me.

My introduction to menstruation began years before I had my first period. I am the youngest of six daughters, so with my mom, that made for seven different versions of the female hormone syndrome. I actually feel sorry for my dad.

Anyhow, being the youngest of that many females in the house, I already knew about the monthly visitor long before I became a woman. We were brought up in a house where menstruation was openly talked about and it was something that you were not to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Menstrual protection was not hidden away behind some closed door like it was evil.

What I remember the most, which although at the time seemed embarrassing, when my sisters and I would each turn 10, my mom would take us and give us the talk. Not only would she tell us what to expect, she would do this during her time of the month and show us a soiled pad and explain about the blood clots. She would show us the removal and inserting of tampons as well.

After this, we would have a practice period, where we would wear and change pads for a few days.

All of this sure made it a lot easier when the big day came.

I think there are three types of mothers when it comes to periods

mom #1: don't tell us anything, and leave it up to the educational system or our friends or older sisters to clue us in

mom #2: tell us everything and then some, ad nauseum, before our first period until it almost is a curse. Earplugs plzzzzzzzz

mom #3: gently fill us in, ask us what we know, take their cue from there, give us just enough information and make sure our period drawer has supplies. IMHO, the perfect period mom

My mom, I hate to say it, but she's the #1 type. I recall the first few years as mainly going it alone, feeling uncomfortable by the whole thing. TG for friends.

Funny, though, how we can see mom's shortcomings but still think she's the best, which to me, she is! I'll just try to be mom #3 when my daughter is older.