When I was young,
I used to love finding out about new things before the time was right.
We were at my grandmother’s one time,
When I saw blood on my aunt’s pyjamas.
I was surprised.
I ran to my mother in tears and told her what I saw.
She laughed.
“Okay, wait,” she said.
She got out a pad from her bag,
And gave it to my aunt,
And that was it.
I was afraid for about a week.
I kept checking to make sure that what happened to my aunt didn’t happen to me.
My mother noticed this fear,
So she sat me down,
And talked to me about menstruation.
She told me what to do,
And got out a pad,
And taught me how to use it.
When I got my period a couple of years later,
I was still taken aback.
But I soon got used to it.
My father can tell when we have it.
He buys us pads,
And takes us out to lift our mood,
Because we’re usually cranky during that time.
I’m happy that my family taught me how to deal with it without fear or embarrassment.