March 07, 2021

It is just periods!!! Period.

Holy goodness! How did it get so late for bed tonight?, I turned around to look at the clock, and it was hitting 10. Not that it's something unusual for me. But that day, it was something else. I was feeling lethargic and not centred. And amidst all the mental chaos, I asked my daughter to put on a night suit, so that I could tug her in the bed.

Meanwhile, I just sat down for a breather, but just then she called upon me. From her fumbled voice, I could easily sense her perturbed state of mind. My heart started to race up as somewhere deep down I knew, that thing I had been dreaming of for several nights was now turning into reality.

I rushed up towards her and found her crying. Those tearful eyes questioning a mother of the red blood spots on her clothes!

Yes!!! It was the onset of her Menarche. And a sudden bolt of mixed emotions started to growl in every cell of my body. But somehow I managed to maintain my calm, took a few deep breaths and I hugged her tight.

“Is this some kind of disease Momma?”, she inquired.

It was time I was introducing her to an entire new world. My little caterpillar was turning into a beautiful butterfly now.

While I was still pulling my thoughts together, she appeared to be all prepped up to understand about her metamorphosis. Well… The counselling session went on till midnight, and this event of life came with a lot of learnings.

So today- more than ever, I feel it is required to bring this talk on the surface and shun off every taboo or stigma that comes with the onset of a Girl’s Periods.

Hear me out!

Dear Mommy, YOU ARE THE BEST PERSON TO BRING HER ALL THE COMFORT:
Onset of periods may bring a lot of stress along, so you should start bringing this topic to the table in advance.
Also, if your daughter doesn't know about it (like mine wasn't aware of), don't shy away sharing your story. Talk to her in length about your experience with your first periods.

INVOLVE HER IN SHOPPING EVERYTHING THAT IS OF NEED:
So, the next day when I introduced Sanitary napkins to her, she found them really uncomfortable. To my surprise she said, “Are there any organic ones available in the market”? I said “Yes!, there are." And she made sure to choose the right kind of size and the correct panties for herself. Mind me!! I loved her excitement.

ENCOURAGE HER TO WATCH VIDEOS OR READ BOOKS, FOR THE SAME: It is the time now when she should understand and know her body more. Speaking of which, you must encourage her either to talk to someone who is a friend, or to watch some educational videos around this topic.

EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN:
As we all know, there is a lot of stigma attached to discussing menstruation in our society. Explain to your daughter how her body is now growing beautifully and naturally. And there is nothing to be shameful about her body or periods.
Also, explain how a healthy period will lead to a healthy body in the coming future. More so, she should know how to track her periods, how to stay prepared for initial irregularities and more.

Moreover, offer her a few extra cubes of dark chocolate which would not just bring her a broad smile but also keep her magnesium level in place.

Keep a few healthy food options stocked up that kind of bring comfort to her body and mood.

Puberty, my dear people, is nature’s gift to every organism, and it should always be accepted with utmost grace and pride.

Let’s lift the barriers of embarrassment and teach our daughters to accept themselves as whole and complete. As to change the perspective of the world, we must start it from our home.

Stay tuned as we bring in a lot of conscious parenting tips for the coming weeks.

Till then stay safe, healthy and happy!

Love and light