Period - Mount Laurel,NJ

Ya know, I never told my mom I got mine. I never told my dad (he had custody...) either. I was a very late bloomer and started at 16, and My little brother took care of informing the family for me... He had to take out the bathroom garbage, and found a pad that was wrapped in toilet paper... He came running out of the bathroom yelling, "A TAMPON! There's a TAMPON in the trash!!!" It just so happened that my uncle's family was over for a visit, so my dad, aunt, uncle, other siblings, and 3 cousins were told.

Ugh. Brothers. Lol.

Anyway, my mom found out when I told her I needed more pads. (I didn't like to to ask my dad, after living with my grandma who had indoctrinated me that anything to do with the female body was a taboo subject, especially for men. It's not, in reality it is bodily function that happens to every woman... But sometimes these conversations can be awkward.)

"Hey mom, I got my period. I'll need some pads/tampons."

She's got a period too-- this shouldn't be uncharted territory. She is likely highly aware that, as you are a young woman, this would happen to you too.

If your mom has a hard time talking about this stuff, may I suggest writing her a note?

For what it's worth, when I first started my period at almost fourteen, I had to call my stepdad at work and ask him to get some pads for me. My mom worked out of state and it was a long distance phone call. Believe me, if I can call my stepdad to tell HIM that, you can tell your mom.

You say, "Mom, I got my period"
It's that easy. She won't be surprised, it's just another part of life.

Just tell her.

PERIOD.

(pun intended).

Um, I woke up one morning, saw the blood and showed it to my mom.

Mom, I got my period.

If it's embarrassing for you, write her a note with those words and stand there while she reads it. She needs to know. Hopefully, she'll get that you're sensitive about it right now. If she's not the "sensitive" type, write that in the note, too. (Maybe she wasn't at your age.)

"Mom, I got my period. Please don't make a big deal of it. I'm kinda embarrassed to talk about it."

Don't be nervous, she's expecting you to get your period. She'll likely be helpful and act the same as she always does (hopefully that's a good thing for you).

i remember asking my mom for money to go to the drug store to get tampons (my sisters used them so I was determined to not use pads). She figured it out.

Your mom loves you, she knows you're going to get it sooner or later. You're probably getting it about the same age (give or take a year) she got hers. So trust me - she'll be expecting it. On the other hand, you could ask her a question like: How do you know when you get your period?

"Can you buy me tampons?"

"Hey mom, I got my period"

I think that about sums it up. Then she'll probably say/ask, "ok - well it was bound to happen sometime soon. I got mine at about your age too. any questions/concerns? and would you rather use pads or tampons or both?"

if she's hystrionic and dramatic or anxious, then anything could happen (a melt-down? weird tears of joy? who knows)

if you like and want to maintain your privacy just make sure to say so.

when i got my period my stepmother actually asked if i wanted to go out to dinner or sit down to a "special dinner" to tell the family --- which i found to be COMPLETELY BIZARRE.

i made VERY SURE she understood that i wanted no parts of any of that -- just some pads and tampons. thank you and goodnight!

i remember when i told my mom "hey i think i got my period". she looked me in the eye and said "welcome to womanhood".