The bloating, the mood swings, the messiness and all the joys of becoming a woman. There isn’t a health class or book that can prepare a girl for her first period.
And for young Stacey, there wasn’t a rock big enough to hide under when my mom spent the first 10 minutes of my womanhood on the phone – calling all of my aunts to spread the details of Aunt Flo’s arrival – as I stood in the bathroom wondering what the heck I was supposed to do with a pad.
Yes: Mom called all the ladies in my life, and one of my aunts definitely arrived with an arsenal of period-blasting gifts – like Midol, Kotex, chocolate and chips.
But my mother did not throw me a celebratory period party.
That thought never crossed my mom’s mind (thankfully!), but this generation of mothers is indeed arranging “Your First Period” parties for their daughters – thanks in large part to Menarche Parties R’Us, a company we first introduced you to back in 2015. Today, the trend continues and I still don’t know why.
Anyway, back to this company’s offerings.
It provides everything you need to host a shebang centered around your little girl’s big rite of passage. From the red invitations to the “Puberty Rocks” plates and menstrual-themed cups, moms can welcome family and friends to help their daughters celebrate their period.
You can even stock a “Girlhood to Womanhood” bag full of all the period essentials. Or play games like “Pin the Ovaries on the Uterus” and “Menstrual Trivia.” All compliments of this party package.
Some moms see these parties as a way to prep their daughters for the road ahead. In a testimonial on the company’s website, J. Mannings from Texas writes, “I didn’t want her experience to be like mine. The words on the party ware alone (are) a conversation starter to teach girls – but having the instructions laid out before me made this special occasion a success.”
But there are some mothers in the blogosphere who see it as just another way to boast about normal things that every girl goes through. The Mouthy Housewives blast off, saying, “Seriously, are we raising a generation that’s going to expect balloons and cake every time they pass gas or put the toilet seat down? When will this nonsense end?”
It is important to educate your daughter on all the ups and downs of womanhood – but throw her a party? Her period can be humiliating enough, so save the cake and balloons for her birthday.
For now, just pass the heating pad, please.
This post was originally published in 2015 and is updated regularly.
