Is this weird parenting?

What a bunch of arseholes on this thread. I think it's a lovely idea and something I would have done if I'd had daughters. Women's bodies and particularly anything gynaecological or menstrual-related are kept so invisible and shameful and it's really unhealthy imo. In fact, I think most of the unpleasantness on the thread is people's internalised misogyny talking. In your shoes @JillAndJenTheFlowerpotMen I would take her shopping to choose her own piece of jewellery though. Jewellery is very personal and it would be nice if she loves and treasures it.

Yes I agree. I hated being told that starting meant I had ‘become a woman’, as I really didn’t feel like one… still felt like a kid.

Me too 🤣

Not weird at all. We celebrated with our daughter.

in western culture we’ve lost all of the traditional markers of reaching milestone moments for our kids

we celebrate birthdays (on MN people don't, but in real life people do!), special birthdays every few years, riding their bikes, end of primary and secondary schools, exams, sports achievements, successes, then first home keys..

We celebrate plenty of milestones through our kids life. It's a good thing.

Transition to womanhood? Some girls start their periods at 10 years old. I don't think you should be telling a ten year old that she's reached womanhood. A woman is an adult human female. She's not an adult.

Yeah, they are shit. All the more reason though. Everything sucks have a necklace. Why not?

I don't think it is that weird. We went on holiday to Sri Lanka for a family wedding and my then 11 year old DD was desperate for hers to start there, as it is traditional to spoil a girl and give her jewelry and treats. She was very disappointed when it began a few months before we went in boring old England. Her dad did bring her a giant bar of her favourite chocolate. But we are very body positive and want her not to feel any shame or embarrassment about a very normal transition.

Have YOU have periods ever ?!

get our daughters to see periods starting as a positive milestone the better, too much negativity already associated with being female imo
I see a lot of positivity in being female (in the Western World we do have the best of both worlds frankly) but aside from being a necessity, there's nothing positive in having periods, at best they're an absolute inconvenience.

menstruating life effectively one quarter of it can justifiably be spent comfort eating chocolate and wallowing on the sofa
many women have shit periods, shoot us. Even if they are light and pain free, they are still a nuisance.

You say the OP is odd, running your niece a bath like her arms don't work and getting her new knickers is far weirder. And you went out to lunch for an occasion of it. That's all far more awkward and more celebratory and from an aunt, not a mother.

My parents did this and I remember it as traumatic 😂 they were trying to be new age and I just felt horribly observed - literally the opposite of what a hormonal teenage wants.

we took our daughter out for dinner and a film to celebrate/ commiserate her first period because I’d seem the Mum on the Cosby Show do the same and it seemed such a nice idea!Our younger son seems to be the only one now who remembers this as we had to have a brief word about periods out of earshot and he was aghast! I used to like wearing navy blue when I had a period because I thought a leak wouldn’t show so much because that’s the reason Butchers aprons are Navy …

Nice necklace for 13th birthday.

When period starts, huge chocolate bar, pamper products/hot water bottle and a cuddle.

teenage me would’ve died if my parents did such a thing.

very odd, one of my nieces started her periods when she was staying with me, I ran her a bubble bath, took her out for a nice lunch and bought her a set of dark coloured knickers. I think this was a reasonable way to mark the occasion. A necklace is just bonkers!

In Mexican culture they mark it by giving the girl a Quinceañera party at 15.

Oh this kind of thing is a real thing where I live! (It's a very 'knit your own yogurt' type town).
They do all sorts of (to me) weird things to celebrate menstruation and so on.

But if it floats your boat, and you don't think your daughter will be embarrassed by it, then I think a necklace is great!

Some people believe in wearing red around their period :)

I suppose at least the blood stains won’t show

Not to mention wedding rings

Or eternity rings etc after a new baby. Jewelry to mark a new era on your life isn't uncommon, only with periods. And that's probably because we've been so weird about them traditionally.

Yes, it IS weird

My mum did. Still find it a bit weird decades later. Username actually not to do with that!

Who doesn't want a nice gift? Why do you worry that your own kid will think you're weird? She probably does think you're weird. You're her mother.
Buy her a present. Don't make it a "period present".
Just a general, it's been a big year, growing up etc present. What sport is she into? Would she prefer something special about her sport though if she's that into it? Does like that kind of Jewelry you've linked or would she prefer a diamond basketball? Make sure it's for her and not for you to give her. Iyswim

OP do what YOU want to do irrespective of others opinions. I would add a lovely pamper basket. There are people that do breastmilk keepsake jewellery or ash keepsake jewellery to remember a loved one. In fact where my mother in law comes from they do whole ceremonies to mark a girl's transition into womanhood as do some other cultures. You will get mixed opinions but ultimately it's your choice.

Herbert