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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

"Competitive Periods" - don't you think this is weird??

24 replies

MrsSchadenfreude · 05/10/2010 23:03

DD1 went on a school camping trip recently. I said to a friend who has daughter who is a bit younger, but same school year, that I hoped DD1's periods didn't start on the school trip.

She said "Oh hasn't she started yet? My DD started six months ago, and X, Y, Z and A, B C have all started. I would say she is a bit late, if anything. Have you thought of taking her to the doctors to make sure your DD is OK?"

DD1 is eleven and has just started secondary school. It's not like she was fifteen or sixteen. Isn't this a little bit barking? Friend's DD is Precious Only and always has to be First/Best at everything.

OP posts:
Cynthia32 · 06/10/2010 01:27

Yep, barking. Take her to the doctors if theres no signs of starting by sixteen I would say, but even then it isn't completely unheard of not to have started. Eleven is young to start! Especially as it's such a burden what with having just started secondary school and all that. How silly of your DD's friend's Mum. Average age to start is about 13.

colditz · 06/10/2010 01:30

Hilarious. Most 11 year olds do not have periods.

porkier girls tend to start young. perhaps you could mention this to your friend? Wink

piprabbit · 06/10/2010 01:32

Very weird to be coming from a mum - who really should know better.

Having said that when I started secondary school we were all very competitive about our periods, until someone actually started (when they would be teased mercilessly). But at least our parents weren't egging us on.

cory · 06/10/2010 10:54

Most mums grow out of this competitive phase by the time their offspring starts school. Your friend seems to be a late developer. Maybe you should think of taking her to the doctor Wink

CheeryCherry · 06/10/2010 11:00

lol at cory, yes its wierd...who cares about other DDs periods? I just pity her DD, as everyone must know everything about her intimate matters.

Remotew · 06/10/2010 11:01

Mine started earlier than her friends at 11. Most of her friends were 12-13. Also the later they start the better, they tend to grow taller. You don't have control over your DD's body at all. Anything up to sixteen is normal.

GetOrfMoiLand · 06/10/2010 11:02

The woman is a wanker.

Who cares. Is she still reading Judy Bloom books or something.

I was nearly 16 when I started my periods. Excellent.

DirtyMartini · 06/10/2010 11:02

She's eleven?

Loon. (The mum, obv, not you or your dd)

GetOrfMoiLand · 06/10/2010 11:02

And DD was 11, bless her.

DirtyMartini · 06/10/2010 11:04

God GetOrf, you must have been so worried your dd started so late. I take it you dragged her to the docs to make a big issue of it sure all was well?

RatherBeOnThePiste · 06/10/2010 19:25

A bonkery wanker

dexter73 · 06/10/2010 19:29

I think quite a lot of girls do start their periods at 11. I know that quite a few of dd's friends started at primary school. It was definitely not linked to weight either as some of them were still very short and skinny. My dd started when she was 11 and I think there are only a handful of girls left in her year (they are in year 9 so are 13/14) who haven't started. It surprised me that dd started at 11 as I was 15 when I started (and tall and not skinny!).
Weird thing to get competitive over.

toomanytimes · 06/10/2010 19:30

DD was 12 when she started and I know that she wanted to keep this quiet from her friends. Recently when we went to the doctors, the doctor stated that the average age now is 9. I ask you, that is just wrong, bless them, the later they start the better I say, after all we have to put up with years of this, every bloody month!

Unprune · 06/10/2010 19:31

Good grief. I know the girls themselves can be competitive, but that mother sounds deranged!

Original poster
MrsSchadenfreude · 07/10/2010 07:20

LOL at Cory! My view was the later the better, it's not like it's a fun experience, is it?

OP posts:
Chandon · 07/10/2010 07:29

barking.

FWIW, I was 15

offtopooatpaulshouse · 07/10/2010 09:24

Pmsl. Altho my littlies are in year one and we are in the midst of competetive wobbly teeth! 'tis scary! In fact, I think it's even more competetive than the book levels.

Those poor girls though, i'm sure they don't want everyone to know their private business!

Bonsoir · 08/10/2010 18:20

My DD had a bit of a competitive wobbly tooth thing going on in her class last year and was desperate to lose a tooth. Since I knew for a fact that she was going to lose her teeth very late vs. average I worked hard to make her understand how very superior in every way it is to lose your milk teeth late Smile

JuicyLucy10 · 15/10/2010 09:40

I thought the normal age was 9-15 making the average 11-12. Who knows but that woman sounds sad to be so competitive. Shock

EllyP6547 · 28/03/2023 05:32

colditz · 06/10/2010 01:30

Hilarious. Most 11 year olds do not have periods.

porkier girls tend to start young. perhaps you could mention this to your friend? Wink

I started at 11 but I was always the “lanky kid….” Actually most of my friends started at 10/11, I was one of the latest in my friend group!!! But no I agree most 11 year olds haven’t started their periods, my friendship group was an anomaly

Snuggleworm · 29/03/2023 15:54

colditz · 06/10/2010 01:30

Hilarious. Most 11 year olds do not have periods.

porkier girls tend to start young. perhaps you could mention this to your friend? Wink

That is not a very nice comment. " porkier" that is an awful term to describe a young girl.

Whiteroomjoy · 29/03/2023 15:56

cory · 06/10/2010 10:54

Most mums grow out of this competitive phase by the time their offspring starts school. Your friend seems to be a late developer. Maybe you should think of taking her to the doctor Wink

🤣🤣🤣👏

Whiteroomjoy · 29/03/2023 16:10

dexter73 · 06/10/2010 19:29

I think quite a lot of girls do start their periods at 11. I know that quite a few of dd's friends started at primary school. It was definitely not linked to weight either as some of them were still very short and skinny. My dd started when she was 11 and I think there are only a handful of girls left in her year (they are in year 9 so are 13/14) who haven't started. It surprised me that dd started at 11 as I was 15 when I started (and tall and not skinny!).
Weird thing to get competitive over.

Actually, while true, it is correlated to body fat levels as proven in endless research

for menarche to start body fat needs to be 17% minimum
but for periods to be regular, in ages 16 and over, it requires body fat closer to 22%
body fat levels start to rise at around 7 in females, and can continue until 18
periods will stop in adult women when body fat falls below a certain level - unsurprisingly for survival. That can be poor nutrition, excess exercise etc without someone looking completely starved.
similarly lean girls can start period earlier than some overweight girls- it depends on overall fat to lean muscle ratio

Now, whether those minimum fat levels are cause or correlation to other hormone levels, the jury is still out on

TuesdaysChild2 · 29/03/2023 19:44

This thread is from 2010!

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