Dear Ma Pa,
It has been a couple of months since this new entity crept into my life. It wakes me up at night, gets me writhing during the day and makes me feel vulnerable. I am icky, uncomfortable and in one word- confused. I feel so unprepared to meet it every month. Periods. What is it doing to my body Ma Pa? What is it doing to my mind? Are periods something to be ashamed of?
I don’t understand. I don’t understand why the sanitary pad advertisements show blue blood instead of red. I hear things. I hear that when I get periods I turn ‘impure’. Is it true? Why does a biological process make me impure? Why can’t I go to temples or sit in places of worship when I have them?
Dear Ma Pa, I want to talk about periods out loud. I want to discuss it with you instead of listening to hushed tones which pull me deeper into the abyss of uncertainty. I want to be able to talk about the cramps and pain I go through every month. I want to be able to know what’s clean and hygienic for me. I want to know if it’s normal for my periods to last 2 days at times and 5 on others. I want to know if it’s normal to have them irregular.
What about the changes my body is going through? Should I be embarrassed about my breasts or feel proud of them? There seems to be hair everywhere, armpits, legs, pubic region. This is so new to me, I have to choose my clothes carefully now. Is body hair something to be shy of?
My face is oily and greasy, and I can feel the sprouting of those menacing pimples? I feel the urge to pop them now and then, do they make me look ugly? Even my sweat smells weird. Is that normal? You know I love playing sports. Can I play during these red days? What about swimming?
What about the emotional turmoil that my mind goes through? Few days before the onset of my periods I feel extremely short tempered. I also feel puffy, bloated and tired. Every moment of the day feels like an intense roller coaster.
My friends, especially the boys look at me differently now. I am confused if I enjoy it or detest the same. I don’t want to change Ma pa. Has periods changed me as a person?
What about the sanitary pads? Can I use tampons or are those only for older girls? How do I stop the leakage? Is it such a sin to stain my shorts or skirts? Why should I feel so awkward to spot some blood? Isn’t periods a normal and routine biological process? Then Ma Pa, why don’t you talk to me more about it?
I want to be happy and confident about my body and mind. I want to embrace it all and be at peace with this uninvited guest every month. I don’t want to feel isolated, different and awkward. Will you talk to me about periods, Ma Pa? I want to be friends with this monthly visitor. I don’t want to be the one to hate periods.
With Love,
Your 11 year old Daughter
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you should
write more about this issue, it may not be a taboo matter but typically people do not talk about these topics.To the next! Many thanks!!
Thank you for your comments and totally agree that people hesitate to talk about this and lots of other topics, which should be addressed. Thats the whole purpose of this blog, to help ease the way for parents to start discussions on these topics.
A great initiative for tke untaboo topics written very aptly. wish u all the best and keep guiding us by ur blogs.
Thank you Doc…appreciate the comment.
Great blog with a lot of pertinent questions and anxieties all young girls face. Fab job Anju and looking forward to more such topics
Thank you Ritu…appreciate it:)
Wonderful! Need one for boys as well. Helping them understand both their own and girls’ growing up, better. Lots of love!
Thank You Richa. Stay tuned…I’ll be tacking a lot of topics – both for boys and girls.
How beautifully you have expressed yourself.. there are so many queries that arise in a child’s mind which have to be dealt with and answered correctly. A forum like this would help many young girls to understand that there is nothing to feel awkward and isolated. Great Initiative Anju! Got to know of your Blog from Puja, we are school friends.
Thank You Rashmi – appreciate your kind words and feedback. Yes, hoping it helps ease conversations.
Great initiative Anju Kish. Very well said. Children want to be heard and discuss all this.Such a platform will definitely give them the copportunity.
Thank you Ritu…
Love this! 🙂 Sharing this with my friends and family! 🙂 All the very best, Anju:)
Thank you so much Dolly and appreciate you sharing it:)
Great! So true, i really like it, looking forward to more of your ….
Thank you Lata…will not disappoint you. Stay tuned:)
Great initiative Anju.. wish we had something like this in our times too…now waiting for the one on menopause!!
Thank you Deepa. Yes…soon!
Love the expressive write up from a 11 yrs mind! Couldn’t have expressed this better! Way to go..
Glad you liked it Shalini:)
Amazing work Anju. I am looking forward to all your interesting topics that you cover here. Patiently waiting for more. 😃
Awww….thank you Shefali!
As a teen I experienced the “don’t touch” things around during periods wish I too had this kind of forum where I too could have a clarity on . Great going Anju !!
Thank you Priya…yeah growing up i wish i had a forum like this too. But its never too late to help others who are in this phase now…
So nicely expressed Anju. All the questions and anxieties of a young girl.
Thank You Prerna…means a lot coming from the mother of a little girl!
Amazing work Anju, wish we had this forum when we were growing up. There are so many answers that a growing mind needs.
Thanks Poonam…absolutely agree! Trying to be the reliable source of information that we never had.
I am done with my periods.. thank god! I wish I had read this information before. Good job Anju!
Ha ha…but do read the blogs still…you may find something that might help you still – one on menopause coming up soon.
Wish I had this when I first got my periods! Couldn’t have expressed it better myself.
Thank you. Maybe you can share it with some others to help them tide over this phase positively.