By Heidi Gutenberg
Okay, so I was 9 years old and sleeping over at my friend’s house. This was a big deal because it was the first time I spent the night at a friend’s home. I hadn’t felt well, but didn’t tell my parents because I really wanted to go. I thought I would feel better. I had thought it was just stomach upset from being nervous about sleeping over.
After arriving at my friend’s house, my stomach really started hurting more. I thought I should say something to my friend’s mom that I should go home, but when I told my friend, she didn’t want me to. She asked if I could wait and see if I would feel better. I didn’t!
Later we went to bed, but I had to go to the bathroom. When I wiped there was blood, and I thought I had done something wrong for that to happen. I got really scared. My mom and I hadn’t really talked about me getting my period. I thought I had more time before that would happen, so did she. I woke my friend and told her I really needed to go home, because I was sick. She woke her mom, and she called my parents and told them she was driving me home. When I got home my dad kind of yelled at me, saying that I could have waited until the morning. But my mom new as soon as she looked at me that I got my period, and told him she would handle it. I thought at first she might yell at me too. But she didn’t. She took me to the bathroom, told me to wait here. When she came back she had a pad with her. We stayed up for a while talking about what it would be like, how I should take care of myself, and what I would need to do every month like bring pads to school.
My mom also told me about using hot pads to help with cramps, and taking naps to help with irritability. She gave me disposable pads. But in school we learned about cloth pads too. I decided I wanted to use cloth for the environment. She also took me to her doctor, and she talked to me about periods and pads. At school the girls talked about their older sisters getting it, none of them had it. I was the first. I haven’t told anyone at school about it, or any of my friends except my best friend whose house I stayed at. I told her that was why I had to leave, and she understood.
I’m 10 now, and have had my period for a year now. It’s not bad at all. Not that I enjoy it, or like having it, but it’s not bad either. No one knows when I have it either. I used to think EVERYONE knew, but they don’t. My friend still doesn’t have hers, and we talk about it. She knows when she does get it she’ll be okay too.
About the author:
Heidi lives at home with her parents, and sister who is still waiting for her period to arrive.
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