Timing Is Everything

Last night I was desperately digging through my pantry for chocolate chips. I would have even settled for Junior Mints (not much chocolate, but minty and very refreshing!)

I like to keep an emergency stash of chocolate for Arsenic Day. I call the day I start my period “Arsenic Day” because I want to either take some or give some.

Although this theory remains untested, I think Arsenic Day would be a valid legal defense. “Your honor, my client was on the first day of her period when she ate the entire contents of that Godiva store.” “Not guilty!”

But yesterday was a first in our household. My daughter needed chocolate for her own Arsenic Day just the day before, and I nobly sacrificed the last of my Dove Promises that I keep hidden in a basket of ironing. Like I iron.

Yes, our cycles now overlap. Please pray for my husband. Light a candle, sacrifice a goat. Whatever it is you do, the poor man needs it.

So, last night my choices were licking the lid of the cocoa powder (unsatisfying), putting my bra back on so I could go buy more chocolate (unacceptable), or savoring the last two chocolate chips I found in an almost-empty bag.

The lesson here is to think ahead and plan ahead. Timing is everything. This applies to talking with your daughter about what it will be like when she Becomes A Woman.

I asked my daughter when she though moms should start talking to their girls about their period. She said “double digits”. I told her that would be too late for some girls, who could start as early as eight or nine.

She agreed (make a note of that, please) and remembered that she and I started talking about menstruation much earlier. For my daughters, I started talking talking about periods casually and generally when they became school age. As they got older, I became more specific, as needed.

And really, I’d been frank about it their whole lives. My mom was so cool about always answering my questions. Even though her accurate drawings on a legal pad made me feel funny, I always felt like I had good information, and early enough that it was useful.

When I was thirteen, my period started while I was at a slumber party. I told my friend and her mom helped me out. Unfortunately, the only thing her mom had on hand were those giant tampons with the cardboard applicator. It was like a huge cottony harpoon. A tampoon.

Because of my mom’s good training, I was able to appropriately use that tampoon, despite it really not being the best sized product for me.

One of my friends on the other side of the bathroom door was worried I wouldn’t be a virgin anymore. Thank goodness my mom had given me enough correct information to where I didn’t spend one second worrying about menstrual products and my chastity.

While my mom only had a legal pad, I had books to help me talk to my daughters when they were in elementary school. Now there are great, reliable resources on the Internet. If you have a daughter over six,–yes, over six–I really encourage you to start talking to her about what’s in store for her body.

Check out the Kotex site just for tweens to help support her (and you!) with information that really can ease her transition into the next phase.

It is going to happen. Help her out so when she starts her period at a slumber party she knows enough to take care of herself and not believe misinformation.

Also, stock up on what she’ll need. U by Kotex is line for tweens sized right for their bodies. No tampoons.

My girl likes them because the packaging is pretty and sparkly, though she would deny liking the sparkly part.

And remember to double up on that chocolate stash. Poor planning could result in you standing in the kitchen late at night wondering if you can go through the McDonald’s drive-thru for a hot fudge sundae without pants on.

“I wrote this review while participating in a Brand Ambassador Campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of U by Kotex Tween and received products to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Also, my daughter has agreed to help me out on this series. Everything I write is with her permission and she has the last word over how much I write about her life.