If there’s one thing I could get worried about these days is “What if my eldest gets her period at school?” I am not there. I won’t be there. And I have 2 girls, you know. Knowing my eldest who is now 10 years old, she’s still a baby in many ways. She may look like she has entered the puberty stage, but she’s still much unaware of the many things she has to know.
You may say she’s only 10, she won’t get it as early as now. Well, you’ll never know. My cousin had her period when she was 9, and the way she reacted was horrible, and could be terrifying to girls like her who is completely unaware of what’s happening.
As soon as my eldest turned 9, I slowly explained her what “menstruation” means. Here are the things I did that time:
(1) I explained her why menstruation happens in every girl’s life. I also reminded her that once she got it, that she needs to be extra careful about herself. Of course, I did it in the simplest way I could. Well, yeah, she had a clueless facial expression but at least, if ever that happens soon, I know she won’t panic ‘coz it will somehow ring a bell.
(2) I also showed her how to attach a sanitary napkin to an underwear, and how the soiled one should be packed away. In fact, the demo was done in front of my two girls. So, yeah, my youngest at 6 also knows by now.
(3) I kept a ready to use sanitary kit in her school bag. It has an underwear with a sanitary napkin already attached in it, an extra pair of underwear with a napkin of course, and some wet tissue to go along with it.
(4) Just in case, she happens to forget her sanitary kit at home (which happens a lot when she changes bags and fixes her school things), I told her to approach one of her female teachers or just ask her girl classmates. Majority of them had their period already except her because she’s the youngest in class. Mostof them in class are already 12, and she’s only 10.
(5) I always tell her that it could be arriving soon, or in the next 6 months, or it could be a year or more away. Just be ready like how I did 28 years back. Because my mom explained and educated me the way I am doing now, I was aware. My mom saw me washing my soiled undies already and knew what happened even without telling her what actually happened that day.
At least, when that happens to my eldest, she won’t be surprised and panic! No one ever wants to get a surprise in the girls’ bathroom at school, unprepared, right?
image source : www.cyh.com
