As we grow up, we learn many things - from tying our shoelaces, to our ABCs. In school, we read poetry and learn new languages like Spanish and French.
Teachers fill our minds with a tonne of knowledge, but one teacher is asking mums to inform their children - especially those who have daughters - about one very important topic- menstruation.
One woman is asking mothers to educate their young daughters about what to expect when they get their first period.
The teacher took to Reddit to share her plea, her post reading:
It's not even 8:30, and I was supervising 3-4th graders before classes starts, and this 4th grader girl went to the bathroom to basically not come back. When I went to check on her, she said she couldn't come out and something was wrong, that she had pooped her pants but in the front.
She had her period. She had no idea what it was, and nothing of the sort. I had to give her a super-long maxi pad because I had nothing else, and I had to call her parents to send her home because she was completely confused and sad.
You cannot control when you get your period, but you can surely prepare your daughters for it. Please do so. There is nothing weird about talking about it with girls and boys. It's just not my job as a teacher to go through that with children in such a personal and private discussion.
The teacher has started a very open and important conversation. Many mums were stunned that the student wasn’t aware of what was happening.
One woman wrote, “My mum made sure that I was aware what periods were when I was about nine. She then proceeded to hound me about it, and constantly asked me, 'Did you get your period yet?'"
Another empathised with the young girl’s situation, “I feel for that girl. I literally got my period the class hour before we had sex education in 6th grade. [My parents] never prepared me, and it was mildly traumatic.”
The teacher said that while she understands that some people may feel uncomfortable talking about puberty with their children, it is a vital discussion to have.
Puberty can be an overwhelming experience for many young people, so being educated about it is essential.
Hearing about it from their parents will be a lot easier, and knowing what to expect in the future will put their minds at ease.
