When I was in middle school and HS, we came up with a unique way of asking to borrow pads/tampons without the whole world knowing about it. You either asked for bubblegum (pads) or stick gum (tampons). I still use that reference today. When we went to MI last Oct we stopped at the store to buy formula, etc for the Bug. I told DH I needed to grab some bubblegum and my MIL went "The candy aisle is over this way" and I had to explain to her what I REALLY meant.
We watched "the movie" in fifth grade. While we were in one room the boys were in another watching their movie. They gave us a free sample of deodorant, pads, and a booklet of information. My mom said I came home and said "Guess what I got today dad? Pads!!" I guess he had a cow when I said that.
**Sarah**
I remember in the period video, one of the women made pancakes shaped like female reproductive organs to celebrate her daughter getting her period. That traumatized me more than anything else...I couldn't eat pancakes for years!
OH My GOODNESS!!! Now in the past I've made Mickey pancakes for my girls (three circles) but how??...what??....never mind, I don't want to know.
Funny I just bought "The Care and Keeping of Me" for my eight year old today and find this thread. I thought this was a nice place to start. But there will be NO special pancakes!!
Wasn't that a bit late for some of the girls in your class? Most of my peers got their periods in 6th-7th grades....with the average ages being 11-13. There was 1 or 2 that got it as early as 4th grade (age 9), and a few more who didn't get it until High School.
We usually called it that, or a visit from Aunt Flow. After the movie "Clueless" came out, it was more often referred to as 'surfing the crimson wave'.
Now that I think about it...I got to watch not one but TWO films. One in 5th grade class at school and another one with my Girl Scout troupe at one of our meetings that same year.
I already had my period by the time we saw "the film" in 5th grade. My mom handed me a book about a week before I got it. Otherwise, I would have been really tramatized. Anyway, the film talked about the sperm and the egg and afterwards I asked the million dollar question "how does the sperm get inside?". The nurse gently explained it..... I felt stupid but none of the other girls said anything so I suspect they didn't know either (this was 1971, I was 11). Today I would have been laughed out of the room....
Since many of us seem to have daughters.......approaching the same path in life.........I thought I'd let you know that Always has little packages of samples and brochures just for the asking. SHHHHHH, though! Don't tell the boys what they are for!!