Tag Archives: Society for Menstrual Cycle Research

When a 7 Year Old Girl Gets Her Period

Do you remember what it was like to be 7 years old?Age 7 - S

I was looking through Mom’s photo albums recently and came across pictures of me at age 7.  Wow, that was such a fun age!  Ages 7-10 were some of my most memorable years – filled with amazing fun and awesome vacations.

It was a carefree time – an innocent time – play time.

As I looked at the pictures, I recalled two worries I had at that age.

  1. Mom’s vacuum (it ate my Barbie’s shoes and I believed it could eat ME if given a chance).
  2. Getting all E’s in school (E was for excellent – S, for satisfactory, was not deemed good enough).

Menarche was not a word in my vocabulary.  And, the only period I knew of belonged at the end of a sentence.

When a 7 year old girl gets her period, she has a lot more on her mind than picking up her toys and getting good grades. Check out my guest post: What happens when a 7 year old girl gets her period? and see what menarche is like for many girls.

The Society for Menstrual Cycle Research blog re: Cycling has focused on Menarche the entire month of September.  Loads of terrific info on menarche and menstruation can be found in the guest posts.  Be sure to scroll down through the September, 2015 posts. You won’t want to miss any of them!

Taking the Lead

True movers and shakers arise and become leaders because they address a need for change, provide a new focus, shine light on new possibilities, and reveal differences that require addressing. Their difference is intriguing and irresistible.

They work behind the scenes (usually just being themselves) while others take notice of their unique qualities and the difference their presence makes. Others begin to follow, to seek to conform, to become a part of the change.

Leaders step in when a gap is created – not because they seek power, but because they are busy living who they are in such a way that makes taking the lead a natural progression of simply living into being themselves.

Who do you know to be a mover and shaker, an advocate, an innovator, a change-maker…a leader in things period wise?

I”ll start the list – you finish it for me.

Making Menstruation Matter

Today is day two of Making Menstruation Matter, the 20th conference focusing on menstrual cycle research and women’s health.

Since the first conference in 1977, the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research has been working to bring menstruation out of the shadows and to legitimize our concern with how our culture, medical and pharmaceutical industries, advertising, and educational efforts, have served women’s needs (or not). Read more.

Members of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research have contributed greatly to healthy practices for women, to debunking menstrual myths, to eradicating shame, and to nurturing research.

I applaud the members and offer my sincere “thank you” for your care, concern, wisdom, passion, and unwavering period wise focus.

You are a beneficiary of the efforts of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research.

If you are not familiar with the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research and their blog, I encourage you to be period wise and check into what they offer you.

Where did you learn about periods?

Laura Wershler, frequent writer for the blog of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research, recently wrote a delightful, thought-provoking piece titled: How do girls learn about periods?

In the article, Laura asks:

Why aren’t cool moms and older relatives already talking to the girls in their lives about menstruation? Sharing friendly advice? Passing on wisdom from mother to daughter, woman to woman?

Good questions.  Period wise questions.

Where did you learn about periods?  What about the girl in your life?  Where did/will she learn about periods?

How would you answer Laura’s questions?