. . . You can do your daughter a tremendous favor by communicating to her that her body is a remarkable creation and performs incredible feats every month, all on automatic pilot. It is uplifting to be in awe of one’s own body and to be tuned in as the reproductive hormones awaken and begin calling out to one another. Rather than regarding menstruation as “the curse” or “being on the rag” or some other such off-putting term, girls could begin to view the presence of their monthly flow as proof that they are part of the river of life and possess great feminine power and mystery, which, of course, they do. This is not to suggest that the arrival of one’s period each month should be greeted with shouts of joy, but that appreciating it as a natural part of the ebb and flow of life, and proof of biological soundness, is a healthier approach than dreading the monthly visitation with whining or complaints, or, worst of all, shame.
       The first period, called menarche, is actually the last hurrah of puberty, which begins two or three years earlier with the first hints of breast development. Once the periods begin, adolescence, the process of maturing after the first period, is officially underway and stretches into adulthood. From day one of the first period, a female’s life is governed by the ebb and flow of hormones until she reaches menopause. (It doesn’t really stop there, but that’s another subject!) Menstruation is but one aspect of the maturation process, but it is an important indicator that the sex hormones have kicked in and the roller coaster is leaving the station. Hang on!

See Nisha Jackson’s latest book, Surviving the Teenage Hormone Takeover: A Guide for Moms.