Try to remember the first time you got your period. Did you know this was happening to you? Did you know what to do? Did you feel comfortable sharing it with your mother or someone else ? Many girls get their first period without any idea what it is, to the point where they might mistake it for something wrong with them. For example, did you know that if you Google "black vaginal discharge" you'll find out that you might have cancer? And in that same reality, a first period will often be black or brown. If your daughter doesn't know the subject in advance and doesn't feel comfortable approaching you, she might even think she's sick. We'd like to offer you three steps to prepare, along with a few other practical ideas.
The first stage: informative preparation
Knowledge is power, and female knowledge is even greater power. Your daughter is about to experience a new biological phenomenon that can be very scary if she is not familiar with it. Therefore, it is important that she learns basic principles such as the purpose of menstruation, its mechanism, what the cycle is, the fact that every girl experiences this phenomenon and what she is expected to see and feel. It is like taking a test where you already know what the questions will be - it is much easier to succeed.
Equally important: mental preparation
Who knows that the first period is just the first step in a journey of puberty that can be very difficult mentally. If you want to prepare your daughter for this journey, it is important that you also introduce her to basic strategies for coping with what is to come. For example, how to talk about the subject with friends? How to understand when her body needs rest and when it is okay to continue as usual? All the answers to these questions will make her more prepared for the moment of truth, and maybe even discover that the moment of truth is not such a terrible moment.
Could be nice: hygienic preparation
You can be sure that if your daughter has hygiene products at home, and not only that, but is also familiar with them and how to use them, she will feel much more prepared to deal with her first period. It's like going for a walk in the fields knowing you have a band-aid in your bag - it's much easier to enjoy the walk instead of dreading every step.
Ideas for practical methods of action
We have collected some practical ideas to help you at every step:
- Share your first menstrual period story with her!
- Talk to her about all the options available to her. You can also show her what products you use and what other friends/girls use .
- Choose a movie or series that deals with puberty or womanhood and watch it together. Sure, there may be awkward moments, but how wonderful would it be if she knew you were there for her during those moments too?
- Buy her a book (but an interesting one) on the subject of menstruation, cycles, and puberty, to familiarize her with the topic and the fact that it is common to all of us.
I was not prepared.
That's right. Previous generations weren't very good at talking about sensitive topics like menstruation, sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and all that. But today's reality is different and much better in this regard. Today, women recognize their right to know, to experience, to be healthy, and to be honest, and they are not only aware, but also demanding these rights. Preparing your daughter for her first period is just one small step you can take with her to support women everywhere, but especially her. Don't give up this right.
