First period - something to celebrate?

[DarthVader]

I am making plans with my 8 year old about how we will celebrate her first period! How did other people celebrate this milestone with their daughters?

[DarthVader]

bump!

[Twiglett]

suppose it depends on the child, I can't imagine ever having wanted to celebrate it to be honest

what are you planning?

[colditz]

Gawd if my mum had tried to celebrate this i would have DIED of embarrassment!

[DarthVader]

Planning womanly stuff - spa treatments, ear piercing option, new outfit, new item of jewellery, dinner out etc

Is this a crazy idea?

[twinsetandpearls]

You could maybe do something together to celebrate a life time of worrying am I leaking, is it worth risking the nice knickers or should I get the pre stained ones. But i would make it just you two.

[MegSophandEmma]

I think its a lovely idea. I was so excited about starting my period was constantly nicker checking around 11 yrs old lol

[DarthVader]

I don't want it to be a negative event that she is dreading. It's a rite of passage, is it ridiculous to celebrate?

[twinsetandpearls]

All seems a bit much for an eight year old tbh. Do eight year olds like spa treatments. Having said that my 6 year old would love a manicure

[Wags]

Gosh, a period and ear piercing... could her day get any worse?

[twinsetandpearls]

I am being silly, I think it is worth doing something nice togther but just you two.

[colditz]

I started mine at 11 and my mum noticed the stains in my knickers and told me I had started my period - I had assumed they were skid marks, I thought periods were red and that was that!

If she had made a song and dance about it i would have been mortified, but if your daughter is pleased with the idea, then go for it

[twinsetandpearls]

no wags but it will in about 3 days when PMT kicks in

[Bluestocking]

How old do you think she is likely to be when this happens? Surely not in the next couple of years? I am with Colditz on this one, I would have found it extremely strange and embarrassing if my mother had wanted to make a big fandango out of my first period.

[Twiglett]

if she is open to it now it may not be a crazy idea

I'd just be aware that maybe by the time her period comes she will not want to 'celebrate' as such because with the hormonal rush comes self-awareness of an extreme nature (at least for me it did) .. I was grateful that my older sister showed me where the sanitary protection was but that was the extent of other people's participation in a personal thing

[edam]

My mother asked me if I would like to celebrate 'becoming a woman'. She suggested baking a cake.

[moondog]

Oh God no. It's just too weird and American.
I would have run away to Peru had anyone suggested this. Am actully blushing at the thoguht as a 40 year old woman. Aaargh!!!

[twinsetandpearls]

Should we not make a big fandango about our bledding fangos.

[holidaywonk]

My dear (not being sarky) mother did this when I started - just a small nuclear-family tea party, mind. My dad and brother were slightly but went along with it meekly. I think, for the full-on hairy-legged seventies-feminist approach, doing something that involves just you and your daughter tends to reinforce prevailing attitudes about periods being something that are best spoken of in hushed tones, and only ever in female company. I think that was why my mother did the family thing - but then she was the kind of woman who kept her sanpro at the front of the bathroom cabinet (as am I).

[Bluestocking]

I knew when I typed fandango that it was a bad plan. Strike fandango and substitute brouhaha.

[twinsetandpearls]

JUst thank the Lord Darth Vader is not Germaine Greer as she woudl get out the best crystal and invite her to drink!

[twinsetandpearls]

Have a very funny image in my head now of Darth Vader saying welcome to the dark knicker force and brandishing a tampon rather than a light sabre.

[Maidamess]

What positive spin are you going to put on it Darth? I can't say I would think of celebrating periods with my daughter. I see them as a lifetime of misery, not something special! But then I'm an old grump.

[Twiglett]

I would also wonder whether there is a risk of a big let-down for the child when planning a celebration when set against the reality of your period actually arriving (ie the discomfort / pain, drudgery of sanitary protection .. unpredictability of when it comes, embarrassment of starting when not expecting it, leaks etc) .. I just think it takes a while to settle down to the lilet freedom

Don't get me wrong I think the openness is wonderful and will strive to do this too .. but maybe just a pampering day (now you're fully grown) rather than a pre-prepared celebration / hoo-hah and accompanying build up

[DarthVader]

Am expecting this to occur around age 12
I was dreading the event myself but would like it to be a postive thing for my dd.

[twinsetandpearls]

I think it depends on your family, I just could not imagine dp,dd and I heading to Brewers Fayre for a celebratory meal for dd first period, I could imagine dd and I doing something together though.