The puberty of girls is marked by an important event that from the biological and hormonal point of view reflects the changes that begin to occur, and those that will follow: I talk about menarche or first menstruation.
Any of the signs that manifest in the body of girls who approach adolescence, they can make you feel confused and insecure, although it is true that many are looking forward to you. I think the difference may be based on the ability of their parents to provide information and anticipate changes.
Thinking about it, surely the attitude of society also influences, you will see ... normally in western societies we have no chance of connecting with our biological rhythms, and on the other hand we don't celebrate that girls are already starting to grow up. Instead, they are still observed in ancestral societies, different ways to celebrate that the girl becomes a woman, because this is a gift for the entire tribe: they are already fertile. In Brazil, North America, Africa or Sri Lanka there are still rituals in which girls change their clothes, their hair and even get tattoos.
Celebrate the transit
I personally when the girl has her menarche, I will not celebrate so much that she is fertile (it usually happens between 12 and 16 years, and it would be premature to celebrate that she can already be a mother), as from that moment she will live cycles that will allow her to experience sensations very different, and you will know a little more about the operation of your reproductive system.
Currently there is much more communication between parents and children on issues that were previously taboo (sexuality, drugs), but Even so, menstruation continues to be something that is sometimes hidden. And if until 30 years ago, the women around the public transmitted knowledge and experiences (Carla Trepat told us during this interview), today much of that wisdom has been lost.
What to tell girls about menstruation?
First of all we must be clear that the small they require that they anticipate events that have to do with their development and their body. And although the information flows very easily and they have access to it quite quickly, they need their mother (or father) to approximate how they will feel.
It would also be useful to explain why it occurs: The cycle is usually 28 days, during which hormonal changes are aimed at preparing the uterus to accommodate an egg that, not being fertilized, causes the uterus to be cleaned that no longer has to house the zygote.
It's very important not hide information about menstruation from girls (or boys), although it would not make sense to force them to listen to our explanations if they do not feel like it. At the age when menarche happens, many children no longer feel like asking their parents, but this does not mean that we should not talk to them: we can take advantage of family reunion moments, visits to the supermarket to buy mom's packs, or experiences own.
Of course, we are not afraid of the questions, although we think they are small to know, because the rest of the changes begin about two years before the menarche occurs: the breasts grow, the hair appears, the hips widen, vaginal discharge appears months before the first bleeding, etc.
And they will also need his mother's experience in the use of compresses or tampons, hygiene, and measures to alleviate the discomfort of menstruation days.
What can moms do with their daughters?
May we not live in a tribal society, It does not mean that we cannot celebrate the transit with our daughters: It is possible to go out for a special afternoon, visit the pharmacy to buy a pack of compresses, buy some sweets to take at home, and above all show our joy for that girl who grows up.
We can also make an appointment with the gynecologist or gynecologist to give us both a little more information
Forget the myths that our grandmothers transmitted to us about menstruation and address the issue openly ... after all, his life will remain more or less the same, with the difference that from now on he will be cyclic. It is worth being by your side to live the experience.
Images | daveparker, rolands.lakis, Arhus on Flickr In Peques and More | Family sex education: a challenge for today's parents, Feminine Plural is a project to facilitate the encounter between preteen mothers and daughters
