The summer of '84 was one I'll never forget. I was 12 and for as long as I could remember, I spent every weekend & summer at my grandparent's house.
One morning I woke up with a stomach ache. I wasn't hungry & no, I didn't have gas. I didn't know what was wrong with me, I just knew something wasn't right.
Later on in the day, I felt something coming from me, so I went to check it out. Low & behold there's blood in my panties & I didn't know why. I panicked! I cleaned myself up, wadded the washcloth & my panties up, found a bag & took them straight to the dumpster in the alley. I sat on the back porch & cried. Why the heck did you cry, you ask? Well, about one week earlier, I had my very 1st french kiss from a boy down the street & I thought the blood in my panties was a result. I was so afraid to tell anyone since I knew what the consequences of my grandparents finding out about me & that boy would be! Needless to say, I kept my "shame" to myself.
Just about a month later, it happened again!! Hold up! I haven't been anywhere near any boys since the last time this crap happened....what gives?!
I thought Muda would become suspicious when the toilet paper & paper towels started disappearing faster than usual, but she never said anything more than, "You all better stop wasting my paper products!"
Call me crazy but for some reason, I thought this madness that was happening to me would stop.
It's mid-Sept and I was in the 6th grade. It's about another hour before the bell rings & school is out & then I "feel" it again. Dammit! I sat in my seat until the classroom had cleared and when I stood up, white pants ruined, Mrs. Hill (God love her) said, "Come with me." She had a closet full of sanitary products. Apparently this crap happens to 6th grade girls all the time. She explained what was happening to me as I changed into my gym clothes for the walk home. I was embarrassed but relieved to know that I hadn't done anything wrong.
I made my way home & when my mom asked what happened at school today, I just pulled my ruined white jeans out of my book bag & handed them to her. She said, "Oh Lord." Then she called Muda. I could hear Muda say, "You better get her some "napkins" because she's too young for those damn Tampax you use". Now I'm thinking, "What the hell is a napkin & why do I need them?! I need pads!" Me & mom went to the store. She went down the aisle of sanitary products & I shamefully lurked away from her. I didn't want anyone seeing me buying pads!
Well that was over 20 years ago & after becoming a teen mother, I was more than happy to go down "that aisle" in the store.
I used my experience to warn my friends with daughters to talk to them about their pending menstrual cycles sooner that later!
My God-daughter, started at 10, but her mom talked to her when she was about 9, so she knew what to expect.
Now I just wanna know why in the sam hell my mother & grandmother didn't have a box of pads in the house?! 
Original 360 post (if you wanna copy & paste your original reply)
God 6th grade was a tough year wasn't it?
ReplyDeleteAh, the memories....
At least you didn't change schools too. :)
I don't even remember my first time....I guess some traumatic memories are best left alone. I do remember my step-father getting them for me at one point. That was so bad. But We have survived and we do better.
ReplyDeleteI was "stranded on the toilet bowl"!! Teresa left it up to my Aunt to tell me. My stomach would hurt from time to time so apparently she knew what was coming but didn't know when. She told my Aunt to talk to me in case it happened while she was out of town. Well, my Aunt talked to me but I didn't know what in the sam hell she was talking about! All I knew is it was embarrassing me so I half assed listened.
ReplyDeleteWell, one day we were riding in the car and I told my moma I had to use the bathroom really bad and that my stomach hurt. I thought I had to do a #2. We get to the house and I go to the bathroom....SCREAMING "BLOODY" MURDER. My moma came thru the door hollaring "WHAT'S WRONG?!" I lifted my panties up to show them to her and she started laughing! I cried harder. She then asked me if my Aunt talked to me and I said about what, she said you period, I said "Yeah, is that what THIS IS?!" and she just laughed some more and said yeah. She left to go get some pads....I sat on the toilet for an HOUR! She turned it into a damn drug store shopping trip.
The School District in which I went to elementary school separated the sixth grade boys and girls one day and showed us a movie about it. I had skipped the second grade, and with a July birthday that made me fully two years younger than just about everyone in my class. I was 10 years old and not even THINKING about coming on my period.
ReplyDeleteI read the Judy Blume books... (I think there's still a copy of "Are You There God, it's Me, Margaret" somewhere at my grandmother's)... and I remember having this box that had like a little kit in it for when that time came... but like I said - I wasn't giving it another moments though.
Until the fateful night struck. It was a week before my 13th birthday.... a typical hot July night in Pittsburgh and I woke up (as I often do) to go to the bathroom... except when I awoke, I realized I was ALREADY wet. I was like !@#$%^&* (I was a bed-wetter as a VERY young child - it was stress related) ... and I was sure my grandmother was going to choke me out...
Until I turned on the light and saw what looked like a CRIME SCENE happening in the middle of my bed. In my stupor I wasn't thinking about what it could have been... and I let out a blood curdling scream. My Gran came running from her bedroom... I was standing with my back to the wall pointing and screaming and crying... Gran realized what was going on and practically snarled at me to shut up, I'd just come on my period. **CONFUSED**
It took a minute to sink in and by this time Big Jeff had rustled out of HIS room to see what the ruckus was... she shoved him out of the room "Oh Thomas, just go back to bed, I've got this under control." Gran sent me to the bathroom to clean myself up, shoved Big Jeff back in his room and explained as she was getting fresh sheets for my bed, and came to ask if I was okay.
The following month she almost beat me to death because instead of 28 days later, it took an extra week (I had long cycles when I first started... 35 days apart and each menses lasted about 10 days). What a freaking nightmare. When she realized my cycle was weird she stopped tripping... but she was ALWAYS looking for the little bundles in the bathroom trash (I wasn't allowed to use tampax either, and my grandfather bought a big ass supermarket case of Kotex. I believe there are still some in the attic from the original box.)
Wow.. What memories you dregded up for this post. Sorry for the lengthy response.
I can only imagine that my mom's first "womanly" experience was similar to yours. She was the first girl in a house full on boys and she started hers at age 8 or 9. So she told me well in advance what to expect, just in case mine happened young like hers. So, I spent about 6 or 7 years being scared to death of it happening. Praying that it would come while I was at home when only my mama was there or never come at all. Actually, I didn't get my first period (if you could call it that--just spotting) until I was 13 or 14. Surprisingly Monni, my first experience happened at school too and I had on white jeans too. Damn those white jeans!
ReplyDeleteLOL @ why in the sam hell my mother & grandmother didn't have a box of pads in the house?! I'm surprised your Muda didn't figure out what was happening to all of her paper products. So what did you do with your messed up panties everyday before your teacher explained what was happening to you?
ReplyDeleteI wrapped them in newspaper, tied them up in a grocery bag & took them to the dumpster. We always had an abundance of underwear so the ones I pitched weren't missed.
ReplyDeleteI got mine the one week I went away to Girl Scout camp. *mean mug* I got the abridged version so I knew what was happening, but of course hadn't prepared. Luckily one of my friends had an abundance of pads with her just in case and I used her supply that week.
ReplyDeleteMy first visit from Aunt Flow was in fifth grade in Mr. Goodrich's homeroom class. Went to the bathroom and lo and behold there it was! My friends went to the school nurse and got me one of those single-packaged mini mattress pads (kotex in a box) and gave it to me. Luckily I knew how to place them on my panties..
ReplyDeleteWent back to class and was nearly cussed out by Mr. Goodrich for being late. My friend wrote him a note saying I'd gotten my period. I intercepted the note before it reached his hands, scratched out my name, and wrote "one of us" instead of "Kelly got her period".....rotflmaooooo!!!!
Dang Mo... I think this is a sign that I need to visit your archives... Cuz I'll be darned if your oldies but goodies keep popping up... lol Well this was kinda funny... not really, but its how you deliver it.. Anyway, I think I started when I was 11... we had a sleep over at my cousins house and we all slept in one king size bed... it was 6 of us (i think), including my boy cousin Rashad... He was 11 also... I think he got a kick outta sleeping with 5 girls... Anyway, we all had on pj's,,, and playing some kind of card game... we were all going back and forth to the kitchen getting junk food... and then it came down to my turn to go.. We were on a powder blue sheet set... and when I got up nothing felt different (at least I didnt think so).. I could hear my bad ass cousin and some of the girls going eeeeewwww what is that... I look back and there was a red spot on the sheet, then I kinda turn to look at my backside and yep, the mystery stain came from me... And let me tell you,,, 11 yr olds can be mean as hell... After all the fun they made of me... I felt really bad... My uncle ended up giving my lil cousin a whooping for being so mean... lol Anyway, my aunt helped me out and got me all cleaned up... But I couldnt stop crying and shit (I was a cry baby back in the day),,,, She ended up calling my mom to come and get me cuz I didnt wanna stay... Mind you it was almost midnight... So when my mom got there to get me she wasnt in a petting kinda mood, cuz she had to get up and go to work the next day,,,,, But ever since Me and Aunt Flow aint been the best of friends... In fact I hate her ass... But I guess I gotta love it when she does come around...lol
ReplyDeleteI was in Miss Woods 4th grade math class when I got my first period and everyone knew about it...... I was devastated !!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen mine finally came on I was ready. I got mine when I was in the 7th grade. But I knew everything about it. When it came on told my mom and she had my sanitary products waiting. She gave me my woman package with enough to last me a few months.
ReplyDeleteI was actually 9 years old when I first experienced Mother Nature. This was way before we had that 2 hr sex education talk in the 6th grade like all the lil girls get and the boys just go on scott free. Then they send us home with a small paper bag of sanitary napkins and a book on all things womanly. Anywho, I was 9 and I was at school that day, actually during lunch. I just felt like I had to go to the bathroom. I walked through the cafeteria to the stage entrance and low and behold I had started my period. I just cleaned myself up really well and put some of that hard brown school paper towel in my panties. I knew what was going on and wasn't the least bit afraid since my mother still had her period and well I just knew. I didn't even bother to alert my cousin who I know had yet to get hers. I guess i felt a sense of pride that day but it was all shattered once I got home.
ReplyDeleteI mean I appreciated the little talk my mother had given me but oh my gosh black mothers are a trip. She got on that phone and told every body and their momma about me and my period. Then my cousin had the nerve to call me and ask me why didn't i tell her...i was thinking cause heffa you don't know nothing about this here lol. This is funny cause the same thing my mother did my God-daughters mother did to her. She called me when my God-daughter starter her period and her mother was just crying. Had me crying. (sigh) It's such a wonderful and beautiful thing to me although I would pass up cramps and vomitting any day (i have really funny pms symptoms). I vowed since I started early my daughter (when God blesses me with her) will definitely know about the birds and the bees and all things in between before she even starts hers. Just so she can be prepared.
Moni this part is so funny to me because i wanted to use Tampons so bad because my mother did. And I can remember so vividly that lil pink box that sat on the back shelf in the bathroom just starring at me from time to time. Still I ended up having to use pads for a while as well and what was even worse back then they had this type of harness or garter that helped secure the pads in ur panties so it wouldn't move around so much. It was the most disgusting and irritating thing I have ever used. I guess that's why I don't like thongs to this day lol.
ReplyDeleteDon't remember what age (11 I think) but I REMEMBER waking up and being TRAUMATIZED- thinking someone SHOT me in my OONIE while I slept and I just didn't FEEL it! I remember taking off from school with my Mommuh and going PAD shopping! I remember NOT having a talk about this EVER before it came! Through THERAPY, I'm ok now. *lol*
ReplyDeleteDang sis.. you were a trooper... and Ohhhh how I remember the brown paper... Im surprised the paper didnt hurt you down there, as hard as it was... lol
ReplyDeleteBut ummmm, I would have been so mad at my momma if she told somebody... Honestly I dont know if she did or not... I do remember my big head ass older sister telling me that I was gonna be hurting all the time... I guess thats why God takes care of babies and fools... cuz all her cramping spells have been worse than mine... lol Bet she wont be saying jack now... lol Especially since she has two teenage daughters....
And wow...9 is pretty early... I would pray that my little girl could hold out til 16... lol... But dang, I dont have no control over that... lol
I was 9 yrs old also... and I had no idea what I'd done to myself... I used to love to flip over the bars at school... and the flow was very light... I thought I'd hurt myself... lol
ReplyDeletemy mama was doing laundry and asked me what was the stuff in my drawlz... I told her I must have bumped my nani on the bars while flipping and spinning... she says no baby... you're a woman now... I was like wha? *insert yahoo shocked smiley* we go pad shopping and mama taught me how to use them... my period came 4 times that yr... 8 times the next ( 10 yrs old) and at 11 I was like clockwork... and I still am ... if I'm late, I'm preggers... that's a fact (even though I tried to deny it all 3 times)
I was raised mostly by women..I know all about their mentrual cycle than
ReplyDeleteI care to know from a early age..I had to be threaten with az whooping
to get me buy some feminine napkins before I actually went to the store for them..lol
Kudos to your mom! I don't know what the hell was wrong with mine...bless her heart. LOL
ReplyDeleteGirl bye! You have made my night! LOL
ReplyDeleteYanno, I really don't remember my first period too much. I have searched my brain sense this blog posted. The only thing I remember is that I think I started at my friends house and she was jealous I got mine first. LOLOLOL Dunnno why she was. Oh and the cramps!!!! I do remember that I didn't get another one for about 6 months though. LOLOLOL Well, I guess I remember more than I thought.
ReplyDeleteSending my boy to the store for my products is not something I wouldn't do unless I was deathly ill.
ReplyDeleteMy boys will pack/put up all the groceries, but my pads or tampons will sit where they lay. LOL
ReplyDeleteYou wanna see a teen boy have a conniption..try being stuck in one bathroom & the products are in the other & the boy is the only other person there. Goes something like, "Daaaaaaaang Ma!" Followed by 3 Stooges like twitching. LOL
ReplyDeleteGirl, ya "boyfriend" was talking shit at me one day and I was about 2 seconds from taking a wrench to his face when I touched an Always in my pocket. I told him to shut it once and he kept talking. I very politely peeled it and attached it to his arm and he was HOT, but it got his attention. Now all I have to do is look at em funny and they know!
ReplyDeleteLLLLLLOOOOOLLLLLLLL!!
ReplyDeleteBoy, oh boy!!!...when my sons realize what they are, I will know what to expect...that is too funny!!!
But then again, I came home tonight with a pack of those feminine wipes and they all (Hubby included) were all nosey-like, asking what in there. I'm like, NUTHIN!!!! I guess they thought I bought them a snack home or somethin...*shrugs*
As well they should LOL
ReplyDeleteNosey is the word! My son found some of my wipes too and picked it up and read it and he got to the word "Vaginal" and tossed it like it burned him. LMAOOOOO
ReplyDeletePuhlease!!! and if you were my boyfriend/husband, you'd be picking them up for me too. You get not when you care not! LOL
ReplyDeleteAin't that the truff?!! Tony has had to buy my feminine hygiene stuff before...I know he wouldn't want to do it on the regular, but sometimes they are extenuating circumstances...Shoot, he betta be glad that mother nature visits me! I'm too damn fertile!
ReplyDeleteContinue to think that LOL. I am a VERY understanding man, but there are some lines even I won't cross lol
ReplyDeleteI do understand you on the too damned fertile thing LOL(the fact tha I only have 2 children is a miracle lol
ReplyDeleteProbably the same twitching! LOL
ReplyDeleteI was 9 when aunt flo first visited. Mom had been planning to talk with me within the next 6 months when I'd be turning 10 b/c that was how old she was (and daughters tend to be the same age as their mothers she was told), so I was unprepared as well. I didn't think I had done anything wrong, but I thought something was wrong with me to be bleeding like that! LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm really amazed at the number of women that did NOT know what was to come. I wonder why Mother's did not talk to their daughters about this before hand so it would not be so traumatizing?
ReplyDeleteI wonder also. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt & say they wanted to keep their little girls as long as possible and dreaded the day when we would become "women".
ReplyDeleteI guess I might create a topic of my own on this. I was really lucky. My mother talked to me about all of that when she was pregnant with my brother. Then she found these books I could read, and then I read books I found in the library, so I was so prepared. Some of my friends also experienced the whole they did not know until it came thing. When I got it I was so calm. Went to my Mom whispered in her ear, she told her then boyfriend and got my stuff out the closet. Gave me my instructions, and then I called all my friends "I got my period!!!" LOL Now I'm sick of this thing. Month, after Month, I'm so over it!!! LOL
ReplyDelete