- One fine breezy day, in the school’s large playground, the little girl in 6th std running and playing was like an Angel playing on sky, like a butterfly in the garden, like water flowing from waterfalls. Couple of months later, the weather was almost the same, it was P.T and all children were playing. But the Angel was not comfortable playing ? The butterfly was silently managing. What could be the reason ? Wondered everyone. PERIODS ! Yes , she attained puberty. The very first scary sentence every aunty in the society warns her about is “Your dress might show blood during periods, be careful. Keep checking ” This little brain is facing her first tension due to the gender difference. Even while walking she has to turn back and check her dress, also make sure no one , especially no boys notice that. What a mental pressure !!! And trust me , that stress follows throughout her life even till her menopause. When someone falls down during football and bleeds on his knees, if the dress is stained with blood, do we warn him to be ashamed ? Then why unavoidable periods stain put a shameful scary moment ? Oh little Angel !Break this Rule ! Dear Parent, Whenever you see your little girl happily running and playing, remember – the periods myth that you warn her might make her lose her innocence, that might control her mind from freely flying. And does your warning make anything positive ? Teach her how to manage safe not to panic if it stains.2. In India, most of the houses, we have a custom of taking bath immediately once we get periods, also the entire house has to be mopped, ‘no entry’ inside pooja room. I was also brought up in this typical custom, so each month post my periods, I catch cold due to taking bath in middle of night when I see thats its “That” part of the month. Though there was a strict “no entry” into our pooja room, if I enter a step by mistake, mom sprinkles turmeric water inside the room. So, me -the little school girl loved “kalkandu” (sugar candy) which was kept in our pooja room. When I get tempted to eat it and I was in the “no entry” mode, I always walked into pooja room, ate sugar candy and then sprinkled turmeric water 🙂 Now I feel the silly funny me, not knowing the logic of sterilising the house, but just was panicked with the customs. Those days when ‘pad’ was not invented, women had to manage it the tough way during periods , where ever they walked, it might bleed on floor. That is why floor was cleaned with turmeric water as a method of sterilising the place. While we carried forward the custom, we forgot the science behind this. I wonder how many such kids blindly followed the myth missing the science.
3. A daughter is always father’s little girl. Go to villages and try to find a girl hugging her father post puberty. “What the hell ? Dont you have any manners to remain reserved after puberty ? You are not supposed to hug daddy that way” – This will be the harsh statements from old age ladies to the girl one she attains puberty. I am so lucky that my dad never changed the way he pampered me since my childhood, even now in my 30s 🙂 But I have friends who really felt as ‘untouchables’ post periods as they were not allowed to eat together during “those” days with their family. They did not get their kiss from daddy even on birthdays. One of my friends was very much affected by these changes and this makes an important memory for a teenager psychologically. Many wrong choice of attraction during early stages happens due to this reason. So never ever show a change to the little girl. She is just growing. React the same way like you reacted when she had teething, when her hair grew big, when she put nail polish herself. Puberty is also a growth phase of your little girl but not a phase to push to distant from her. Can anything in this world make a real distance between father and daughter ? Then why an ancient myth ?
There is a trend setting change during every generation. There also arises a generation gap between each . Every parent must remember : what you do will now with respect to your daughter’s periods will either make you a “trend setter hero” or create quite a big generation gap between you both !
To the little girls reading this article : “NEVER BEND YOUR HEAD FOR BLEEDING” No mother feels shame to give birth to her baby. That is a bless to be a woman. Same way, periods is designed for girls. Be proud of our gender ! Let your mind never mark “those” days special / different. It is just a regular cycle of health each month. Say cheers ! Stay happy and healthy !
Strong & Elegant
Nice article, reached here via Knome. Recently I heard about a disgusting custom in South India, where parents perform some ritual, to announce that their daughter has attained puberty. We Indians are too lazy to shed old (bogus) customs and rituals.
true… this is the first step to separate the gender … Thanks for your feedback Piyush
Reading this at right time… Was thinking about this for last few days… Not sure why… May be I am seeing Chikku growing up fast and wondering the difficulties that she is going to go through… Good one Nammi👌👌
This is really an awesome article…keep rocking dude🤗best wishes