The Period Party: Celebrating Your Womanhood lg1t

The Period Party

Celebrating Your Womanhood

GODDESS

Copyright © 2009 by GODDESS.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008907184 ISBN: Hardcover 978-1-4363-6296-2 Softcover 978-1-4363-6295-5 eBook 978-1-4771-7754-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 08/22/2017

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Contents

INTRODUCTION

DID YOU GET IT YET?

I’LL NEVER FORGET!

WILL SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON?

THE PERIOD HISTORY

WHEN IS IT COMING?

BE HAPPY

A NOTE TO DAD!

IT’S PARTY TIME

THE INVITATION

PARTY FAVORS

THE GIFTS

LET’S CUT THE CAKE!!

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to those individuals who have inspired and encouraged me to pursue its publication.

• Rose, my maternal grandmother. • My niece, Jennifer Brittney, who gives me great joy and a loving memory of the legacy of my departed brother. • To my sister, Lounice, who always stood by me and encouraged me to go for my dreams. • To my mother, who gave of herself to me unconditionally and let me learn my own lessons as I went through the journey of life. • My stepdaughters, Ashley and Alicia. • To my dear friend, Carrie, who saw my vision. • Thank you to Iyanla VanZant at Arron Davis Hall and I quote “write the book.” • Thank you to Susan L. Taylor who said, “You can do this. This you can do.” • Last but not least, my husband, my life partner and friend, John, who always responds to my dreams with “Go for it.” Thank You.

This book is also to especially acknowledge all the women and young ladies of the world who have been told through words, actions and deeds that they are not loved, valued or worthy. One thing I know for sure is, YOU ARE.

Goddess

INTRODUCTION

I am honored to have been entrusted with the duty to touch so many young women’s lives with this knowledge of self-love, self-value and self-worth. I only wish a book like this had been available to help me understand that I was perfectly fine just the way I was when I was blessed with my menstrual period. I believe it is up to mothers, single dads, grandparents, aunts and older siblings to take the time to explain the wonderful experience of the period to a young lady who has been so blessed with this gift. Now that I am a well-matured woman and have spoken to many other women about what their first experience was like, I came to learn that some honestly did not . Some had really embarrassing experiences to share, while others had really great experiences to share with me. We throw parties for anything and everything today. I began to notice how some young ladies were feeling about themselves when they got their period and just not understanding the true meaning of that blessing. So I decided that it was time to have a party of empowerment for our young ladies, our future for tomorrow, starting today. Please me in spreading the self-esteem, self-love and selfworth that lie in the pages of this small book and make it a big tradition that will be ed on from one generation of girls to the next.

DID YOU GET IT YET?

I must have been about thirteen years old when I first experienced my period. It did not surprise me because I had a brief refresher course in the eighth grade that year. The teacher came in and asked, “who has seen their period yet?” Well, at that moment I found out I was the only one sitting there with my hands on the desk. Some of the girls began to acknowledge that they had seen their “friend.” I, on the other hand, wondered why are they calling it their friend? I just watched and listened very, very closely. The teacher showed us a film on how the period worked. There were plenty of questions afterwards. One girl asked, “Can you hold it, like when you have to go to the bathroom?” The teacher said, “No.” Another girl asked, “Will anyone know if you have it?” The teacher then answered, “No, only if you tell somebody.” Another girl asked, “how do boys feel about it?” The teacher replied. “Well, they learn to live with it.” That was pretty much how I became aware of having a period.

I’LL NEVER FORGET!

I seeing my mother discarding her maxi-pads in the bathroom garbage pail. She turned around and realized that I had seen her. She said to me, “One day you will have to go through this too.” She went on to say, “Having a period is a curse that God put on Eve for eating the apple.” I felt a little upset. I didn’t even know Eve. And why did I have to suffer for what she did? I wasn’t too thrilled about this period thing. Then it happened to me! It was a mild September day. I was outside playing marbles and I had to go to the bathroom. When I pulled my pants down, I noticed a red spot on my panty. The first thing that came to my mind was, “Here it is.” I went back outside and sat on the porch and waited for my mom to come home from work. She finally arrived and I helped her with her bags up to our second floor apartment in Brooklyn, New York. I waited for her to get comfortable and relaxed. Then I said the magic words, “Mommy, I got my period today.” Well, I wished I had kept my mouth shut. The following day my mother sat me down in the living room with my father sitting in his recliner watching TV. She then proceeded to pull out this foreign object. I had never seen anything like it before. It was white. It had two metal clasps, one in the front and one in the back. You see, back then they did not have maxi-pads that would adhere to your panty. The object that was presented to me was called, The Belt. My mother proceeded to take the pad and show me how to connect the pad onto the belt so it would stay in place. Meanwhile, my father was right there looking amazed. I felt so ashamed. I could not believe my mother was showing me that in front of my dad who had the “Oh, my little girl.” look on his face. I was so embarrassed. Well, there you have it: my introduction to my blessing. Then, within minutes, all my mother’s friends and my family knew. And I heard this statement quite a few times: “You’re a woman now.” I didn’t feel like a woman. I didn’t want to be a woman. I just wanted to play tag. One lady called it my “friend.” There goes that word again, I thought to myself. As far as I was concerned, I didn’t need this kind of a friend. I really wished someone would have explained more about this period thing to me. Oh yes! My

sister was a little luckier. She received her introduction from our mother in the bathroom when she got her blessing… and without an audience! I know you have a lot of questions. I hope I will be able to answer most of them for you. Just in case I don’t, ask the adult most closest to you for some more information or an explanation. So welcome to one of the most fascinating experiences you will have for a long time to come. I will say again and again in this book: be proud! Feel blessed. Know that you are just perfect the way you are. Love yourself.

WILL SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON?

As the months went by, I started to experience some pain in my abdomen. I later found out they were cramps. No one told me about cramps; I thought they were hunger pains. So I ate and ate and ate. Then I learned from my friends that the pain was not related to hunger. They told me to take some Midol and the pain would go away. They were right. As time went on, I started to get headaches, but with aspirin, the headaches went away too. I noticed I was going through some serious changes with my body as well. I had hair where there wasn’t any before. And I had odors where there weren’t any before, or not as strong. My hips began to spread and my breasts began to grow and hurt; they became very tender. There was like a hard knob in them. It was truly amazing, kind of scary almost. One night I went to bed with a bald vagina and woke up with pubic hair down there in the morning. You will find this will be the same for you. You are growing. You are changing right before your very own eyes. It’s a wonderful process. Don’t feel ashamed to talk to a parent… or someone you can open up to about these changes you are experiencing. Believe me, they also went through the same or something similar. I also noticed that at times my moods would change. This is called PMS or Pre Menstrual Syndrome. I could be very happy one moment and then begin to cry over any little thing for no reason at all. There were times when I wanted to be alone. There were times when I needed a hug from my mother. There were times when I felt and looked beautiful. And then there were times when I looked at myself in the mirror and no matter what I did, I wouldn’t look so pretty—sort of like a bad hair day. In my mind I yelled, Will someone tell me what’s going on? I don’t know how to express these emotions. No one really talked about it back then when I was growing up. I learned as I went along. Times are different now. Today you can feel free to talk to your parents, your big sister or a favorite aunt or cousin about any of the situations I’ve mentioned, or something else that you may be experiencing. This is a part of life! And life is good! You have been blessed with one of the

most special gifts that a boy or a man will never know. This is a wonderful experience. What you are going through or about to go through—just about every woman has been there. You are on the right track and you will learn how to deal with your period as you learn how your body works during the experience. What I have described briefly is called puberty. I will elaborate on it a little bit more now, taking each symptom one at a time. Headaches: The reason why you may be experiencing headaches during this time is because of the hormone changes in your body. What are hormones? Hormones are chemicals within the body which help the body function. Sometimes these hormones can overact and become too much for the body, which might bring on a headache. Usually, a pain reliever works. If the headaches don’t lighten up, you can tell your parents or caretaker and they will follow up with a doctor’s appointment. Cramps: They are not hunger pains like I thought. Cramps are a contracting and constricting of the uterus. What is contracting and constricting? Let me give you an example for you to try so you can understand clearly. Make a fist with your hand and squeeze tight. Then open your hand. Squeeze and open, squeeze and open. That is what is going on within you. I find that a Midol or other mild pain suppressant or a cup of herbal tea and a hot water bottle often calms that down. The Uterus: What is the Uterus? The Uterus is a reproductive organ. The Uterus begins to have a uterine lining which grows thicker throughout the month. The reason it has this lining is because it is waiting for a fertilized egg which is released by the ovaries. The ovaries hold your eggs from the time you were born. You have a certain number of them. If there is no fertilized egg, you begin to have your period flow. Welcome!! The Ovaries: From the time a female baby is born, she carries eggs in her ovaries. These eggs begin to mature and grow as the baby begins to mature and grow into an adult. Once the young lady reaches puberty and begins to have her period, she begins to release these eggs. She may release one or more than one egg every month on her cycle. If her eggs are not fertilized by a sperm, then the eggs will dissolve and the period cycle will begin.

NOTE: This is a topic for your Period Party. NOTE: You may be wondering how the egg gets fertilized. That is a wonderful question to put into your question bowl for one of your guests to explain to you during your Period Party. I’ll explain more about the question bowl in another chapter. Be sure to put that question in there. Pubic Hair: This is quite an amazing transformation. Like I said, I went to bed with a bald vagina one night and awoke in the morning with pubic hair. Amazing!! Then, I discovered under-arm hair. That meant that I would now have to shave. Then I found myself shaving my legs. Some girls’ hormones kick in stronger in different ways. Some girls have a lot of hair on their legs, arms, face, eyebrows—(not to worry, there is waxing—Love it!!—and many other solutions.) Well girlfriend, look at it this way—you’ve got options. Body Odors: As I began to go through this wonderful change called puberty, I noticed very strong odors began to appear under my arms. I had to use the deodorant—for real now. There was no more pretending to wear deodorant; I really needed it now. I noticed that the vagina had a stronger odor than usual as well. I then learned that body care was key. Because you are sweating more, you cannot be the tomboy you once were without proper hygiene. You are changing. NOTE: There are many ways to care for your blessed body parts, so be sure to put those questions into the question bowl for your party too. Your Breasts: when you would stuff the tissue in your shirt? I confess, I used to do that. Now comes the real things. You are going to have some growing pains in the chest area. You will have some tenderness and begin to see the development of your breasts. First the breasts will begin to protrude. , hormones are at work here and making sure that everything is functioning as it should. Keep in mind, if your breasts are a 32-A, you probably will not stay that size for a lifetime. The breasts grow through quite a number of stages and your bra size will change. It is very important that you buy the right bra for yourself. (I do not recommend sleeping with your bra on. Your breasts need to breathe and grow as you do.) The growth usually consists of fatty tissue, glands called mammary glands (which produce milk), and your nipples, which are highly sensitive at this point, especially to cold temperatures. Your nipples may even change

color. NOTE: I am sure you may have a lot of questions regarding your breasts and how to take care of them. Great topic for your period party. Other Body Changes: As you begin to experience your body’s changes on the inside, you will start to see changes on the outside as well. Your facial features will begin to change. You may have developed acne or have real clear skin. Your hips may have spread apart and your waist may have gotten small or larger, depending on the hormones or the family genetics. You may be growing tall rapidly. You might be able to wear the same size shoes, pants or dress as your big sister now or even mom. Wow!! The most remarkable thing is that it is happening right before your eyes. If I have missed anything, to put it in the question bowl at your party. The Gift: I will say this to all of you young ladies out there: what you have or will be getting, this thing we call a period, is a Gift. It is the Gift of Life and no one, and I mean no one, would be here on this planet without it. You have been blessed with a wonderful gift and I ask you to cherish it. Know that it is nothing to be ashamed of. Know that you are fine, brilliant and perfect just the way you are. Having a period should never let you feel less than a girl, a young woman or a woman. Having a period should never hinder you from reaching your goals, dreams and aspirations. For you are the future and all women are cheering for every single one of you. So put aside the stereotypes and go out into the world with the Gift of Life, The Gift of Love and most important, the Gift of You.

THE PERIOD HISTORY

I have heard the period called some weird names or phrases over the years. Here are a few: The curse. I’ve got the rag on. I have my friend, etc… everything but, my period. I have learned and heard of some customs that women must follow when they have their period. Some of these date back centuries. In some Caribbean islands and in some cultures, women are not allowed to cook for their husbands and/or the family because they are supposedly “not clean” and might take away the husband’s energy and negativity onto the food. In some religions, a woman cannot touch a male child because it is believed she may weaken his strength. Some women are not allowed to sleep in the same bed with their husbands when they have their period because the men believed the women were unclean when they menstruate. It is when they have finished with their period cycle, and after they go to a separate place where they must bathe themselves, will they be accepted again. One woman told me how girls would actually get their faces slapped when they got their period for the first time. The reason was because it was to represent the pain they would have from now on. These are just some of the customs and myths I have heard on my journey into womanhood. I can see why some women feel the way they do today. Well, girl, this is the millennium and it’s time we get educated on how wonderful having a period really is. You are not dirty. There is no reason why you should not be accepted by anyone because you have your period. , this is a part of life and every woman goes through it. Your mother went through it. Your grandmother went through it. Your aunt went through it. They all turned out just fine. And so will you.

WHEN IS IT COMING?

If you were to look in the dictionary, you would find the word “period” means “a cycle, also menstruation.” These are some more of the positive you can use to acknowledge your journey into womanhood. Let’s look at the word, “cycle”. The term “cycle” means that your period will come every month like clockwork from now on. Your body has a cycle of either every 23, 25 or 28 days when your period will come every month. Usually, your period will last for about five to seven days. Everyone is different, though. When you get your period, or if you have already been blessed with this gift, you can go to your calendar and count to see when your next cycle will be. Here is how it works! Let’s say you get your period on the 10th of December and your period lasts for seven days. That means you would finish on the 17th of December. Now, count from the first day, which was the 10th: one, two, three, etc. up to the number 28. That will bring you to January 6th, the next time you can expect to see your period. This is known as your cycle. Understand, if your period does not come on the 28th day of the month, your cycle may come either on the 26th day or 23rd day cycle. Keep paying attention until it becomes clear to you. If you have any questions about this or if you have any problems with your cycle, it is important that you tell your mom or another adult who you feel comfortable with. Now, you are probably asking yourself, “Why would I want to know when my period is going to come?” You may want to wear those white pants or that yellow dress that day. You may even want to go to a beach party or swimming at the pool. It can be embarrassing when a stranger taps you on the shoulder and whispers in your ear, saying, “You have your period.” Trust me! You want to know your cycle. This will enable you to plan ahead and be prepared for future affairs. It’s better to be

safe than to risk ruining a really nice outfit.

December

January

BE HAPPY

Yes, this is a time to be happy! You have received one of the most blessed gifts that God could give a young lady like yourself. It’s not a curse. It’s not bad. It’s not nasty. And last but not least you are not being punished. Having your period is none of these things. Having your period tells you that one day you can bring the gift of a child into the world, just like you were a gift to your parents. Having your period means that you are on a wonderful journey to womanhood. Your entire body is going to go through a wonderful transformation. You are about to change before your own eyes. Some of you will get pimples. Some of you will gain a little weight or even lose some. Even the way you begin to think and see the world will change. And like all the women before you, that is something you will learn to work with and even appreciate. Again, you are not being punished; you have been blessed. I wish you well on your journey to womanhood and I know you will enjoy your Period Party. I have written this book to empower the young women of tomorrow and help dispel the myths that may hold them back. My message to you is to go into the world and be happy and proud of who you are. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Just know how truly blessed you really are. I also feel that since we women are going to be running the planet anyway, we need to be equipped and let go of the little things that have held us back. Go forth and give the world the best YOU that you can be.

A NOTE TO DAD!

For you fathers and especially you single fathers—and even uncles raising these young women on your own—this can be quite a trying time for you and your daughter(s) or niece(s). It is really up to you to be ive of her during this transition. Believe it or not, she is really studying what your reaction to her is going to be. You are the real first male relationship that your young lady will have. How you treat her… speak to her… listen to her… guide her… is so very important. She will look for all your great qualities in her future mate. So keep in mind that you are an important part of her self-esteem process. Congratulate her on her period. Ask her if there is anything you can get or do for her. Let her know that you know this is a wonderful part of life and that she will always be your little girl who has grown up to be a strong young lady. These are just some of the things that you can do for this blessed time in her life. I when my stepdaughter, Alicia, called to tell me she had her period. I was so happy for her. I could feel her smile through the phone. As we were talking, she asked, “Can you tell daddy?” I said, “Okay.” Later that day, I relayed the message to my husband and he asked, “Why can’t she tell me about it?” I said, “She probably feels a little uncomfortable.” My husband said, “She should have come to me instead of having you tell me about it. I want her to know I am there for her always, through anything.” So, I called her back and told her she could talk to her dad about it. He was there for her and to her in any way she needed. She did call him and they talked for a good half-hour. See dad, it is very important that you are there for her. This can mold how she may react to future relationships with the opposite sex. My brother-in-law relayed to me how he had to go to the supermarket to pick up some feminine napkins. He had forgotten what brand his daughter said she used. While he was searching, he began to notice the looks the women were giving him. The, “whatis-he-doing-down-this-isle?” look. Or the, “I-wonder-if-he-knows-what-to-get?”

expression. I laughed when he shared that with me. But it also made me realize that here we are in the 21st Century and this is still like a taboo subject. I hope I have offered some insight to you. I do believe we can make a difference in creating strong and confident women on the planet and we need all the male help we can get.

IT’S PARTY TIME

The primary reason I wrote this book is because I believe a period is something to celebrate. We have a party for nearly everything else: anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, etc. Why not initiate a great tradition of self-esteem, a sense of power and strength from one female generation to the next with a Period Party?! I ask you to celebrate this gift and it on so together we can help change the world. Here are some suggestions for the party, but you may wish to add to this list. Be creative, have fun and make it your own.

• Moms or Dads send out invitations to women and some of the young ladies who you believe have a positive influence in her life: grandparents, aunts, sisters, etc. (If the men can be ive, why not?) • Have a large bowl with topics or questions written on slips of paper for her guests to answer for her. Ask the young lady if she has any questions she may want answered and place them into the bowl. Each of her guests will pick a topic and answer the question.

Examples: It might be the disposing of napkins, cleaning blood stains off panties, etc. Let’s say someone picks the topic of how to deal with cramps. A mature guest can inform her why cramps may occur and offer suggestions on how to relieve them. Oh, yes! Be open to answer any of the questions. Obtaining knowledge and feeling comfortable with it is very important. For knowledge is power and with power comes self-esteem.

THE INVITATION

Unfortunately, there are no invitations in any Hallmark Stores or your local supermarkets. I am pleased to be able to provide you with a really unique website service that lets you create your own invitation cards for your Period Party. You can create your invitation as well as list the gifts to bring to the Period Party on one card. Just go to www.sendoutcards.com/THEPERIODPARTY. When you get to the website, you will see that you are entitled to a free card. Click that bar. You will be prompted by a recording on how you can create your own cards. Please understand, you do not need to this company. After you have created your FREE invitation and you wish to have more for your Period Party;

1. On top of the page, click on main menu. 2. Click purchase product. Item #1107. Put in your quantity of points. (2 points equals 1 card) Example: 10 cards is 20 points. 3. Go to #1201 put in your postage 4. Scroll down, click continue and you will see an invoice of your purchase. Click okay and your cards will be stamped and mailed out for you. It’s that easy!!

I would suggest the blank cards from a website so you can personalize them. The category of cards that I prefer are “Welcome” and “Nice To Meet You” This way you personally create your invitations, which will be stamped and automatically mailed out for you once you provide your guest mailing list information. Make

sure to give enough time for your guests to RSVP you that they are coming. Make it your own and have fun with this website. You can also send out your “thank you” cards from this website as well. My experience has usually been that the guests are the ones who are thankful for being invited.

I have a sample of how you can put together an invitation on the next page. Be creative and enjoy the process.

EXAMPLE

Left Side of Card

Right Side of Card Gift List From: Ashley Herbal Teas A Stuffed Animal To: Jennifer Cramp Remedies Pajamas Occasion: We’re having a Period Party Slippers to celebrate this new beginning and Creams would request the honor of your Body Lotions presence during this exciting time. Shampoo & Conditioner Perfume Time: 1:00 p.m. Slippers Place: 13 New Beginnings Lane

This is just an example of how you can go about creating your own invitation.

PARTY FAVORS

• You may want to decorate a chair, especially for the young lady of honor, with ribbons and bows in her favorite color or colors. This lets everyone attending the party know that this is for the young lady of honor and it also makes her feel really special. And it will set the mood for the party and the guests as well.

• You may want to have some party favors engraved with the date of her celebration. You can have table napkins printed, saying “Ashley’s Period Party 7/10/07”. You can have engraved party favors, balloons, forks etc. You can create a tablecloth and have her name monogrammed on it and this can be ed down from one generation to the next. It may become something that stays in the family and is also a part of her family history.

• The bowl ceremony is very important. This is what the Period Party is all about. This is where all of her guests sit down and share their first experience with her. I find that during this particular time of the Period Party, she is intently listening and learning from her guests. Inside the bowl are the questions she wants answers to.

• It can be any kind of bowl: ceramic, plastic, glass, what ever you prefer. This would also make a wonderful family heirloom to down from one generation of women to the next. You can also decorate the bowl with ribbons or paint it, draw on it. What ever you choose to do.

• You may also want to have some candles during the bowl ceremony; this gives it a nice and relaxing touch to the bowl ceremony. You can use one or more candles, scented or unscented. You can match them with her favorite color or

colors. If you don’t want to use candles you can dim the lights a little and pretty much get the same effect. We want to make it as special and memorable for her as possible.

• You can also have flowers for her. They can be in her favorite color or colors. I had a Period Party where a flower was given to each of her guests for coming. Another way the flowers can be used, is to have the guest wear one in their hair, above the ear. This is a very feminine look and it kind of lets everyone know and feel that we all have something in common.

• About the topics… Moms need to decide how far they wish to go and where to draw the line. As we know, with the period comes responsibility. There just may be some things the parent wants to discuss one on one with the young lady. Mom/dad, you are in charge of the questions and topics which go into the bowl, it is your discretion.

• As far as dress attire, be comfortable. Some people like the floor. If you plan to have your bowl ceremony on the floor, please indicate that in your invitation. This way, your guests will know to wear pants instead of a dress or skirt. If you plan not to have the bowl ceremony on the floor and will be using chairs, there is no need to notify the guests about what to wear. You may also host it outside in your yard, there is no protocol. I always say, try and make it as unique and special for her.

THE GIFTS

The gifts that people might bring are: • MAXI PADS: A girl can never have too many of these. Moms/dads, please note if tampons will be acceptable or not.

• HERBAL TEAS: Give her an assortment of different teas. Teas can help with cramps, great for relaxing and winding down. There might even be a special brew that grandma used to make. • PAJAMAS, NIGHTGOWNS, BEDROOM SLIPPERS, SOCKS: These items are necessities. And when you were her age, these are called “comfort items”. • A CUDDLY STUFFED ANIMAL: There is nothing like something soft and cuddly to hold when you are on your cycle.

• SWEETS: Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Yes, sweets are very soothing during this time. For some reason having your period and sweets go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s cakes, cookies, hard candy, soft candy—let’s not forget the icecreammmmm. Yes, these are truly some of the sweet pleasures we have an extra craving for during that time of the month.

You may not want something sweet, how about salty? Potato chips are most common. You may add a little extra salt to your foods. I find that if I cook with salt when I have my period, it doesn’t taste salty to me but the rest of the family will comment. I will say, that everything needs to be in moderation. If you over do things you can gain weight from all the sweets and water from all the salts. Yes, ENJOY! But not to over do it!

• PERFUMES, BODY SPLASHES and SHAMPOO: Great gift items. This not only has her smelling pretty but it is teaching her about hygiene. Because of our period, our body goes through changes, bathing, lotions and perfumes helps to eliminate those odors as well. You can use perfumed powders or good old corn starch, great for sensitive skin. Here is a tip to . Always lotion yourself after a shower, it helps to prevent dryness.

• CRAMP REMEDIES: There are so many ways to relieve cramps today. You can used homeopathic remedies that grandma used to make. This may consist of teas by boiling herbs. Acupuncture is another method which I find helpful. And the plus side of that, is they do use Chinese herbs to treat many symptoms. You can go conventional, take a midol or pamprin. If they are more severe, see a doctor, maybe you need a prescription. We have so many things available to us today. Find one that works best for you. Hopefully, you will be one of the few that never experiences a cramp. Wouldn’t that be nice?

NOTE: All I can say is, make it your own. Have FUN with this.

How we make our young women feel about themselves today will definitely shape how they will feel about themselves in the tomorrow. We owe it to them.

LET’S CUT THE CAKE!!

Let’s cut the cake. Be creative with the title of her cake. One of the titles I used on Ashley’s cake was “Happy Period Party”. (A Carvel Ice Cream store helped me out with decorating my cakes.) You can also have your local supermarket write what you would like on the cake. Even better, you can bake one yourself and decorate it as you wish. You can have individual cupcakes instead of a whole cake. We had an ice cream cake for ours.

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Here is a picture of my other stepdaughter Ashley getting ready to cut her cake at her Period Party.

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Last but not least, I urge you to this celebration on to the next young lady that you know who will be taking this blessed journey. Make it a tradition from one generation of girls to the next. Knowledge is power. And that is how we change the world. Thank you and be blessed.

Goddess