Mom...Why Hasn't it
Happened to Me Yet?
Understanding an important time in your life.
by Lorell Gordon, MS, M.Ed.
TWEENS & TEENS News September
2007
It is fourth period, and you are in the locker
room. You see a small group of girls from your
gym class at the other end of the room. You
hear them talking and laughing. “I got
my period yesterday!”
“Whoa, that’s everybody now. Stephanie
got her period last week.”
You see the friends give each other hugs as
they continue talking about their periods. You
then wonder— why hasn’t it happened
to me yet?
Question Marks about Periods
What exactly is a period, anyway? Some people
call it a “period” while others
may call it their “monthly.” In
your health class, you are more likely to
hear it called menstruation or the menstrual
cycle. This cycle begins to happen because
your body has made another change. It’s
a change that says you are getting older.
You may recognize some other changes happening
with your body such as growing taller as you
age.
When you have your period, it is because an
important change has happened with your uterus—
one of your inside body parts. Specifically,
the uterus is part of the reproductive cycle
in a woman, and together they help to make
another life.
The uterus makes changes occur each month,
which is why you have a period. The uterus
has a lining just like the inside of your
jaw. Each month, the uterus gets itself ready
and prepares a new lining for when you are
an adult and may one day have a baby. Because
you are not ready to have a baby, your body
does not need the lining that the uterus has
made and it is released from the body. This
lining is what you see when you have your
period.
Periods last anywhere from five to seven days.
The very first time you have your period is
called menarche (pronounced men-ar-chee).
Girls get their periods at different ages,
typically somewhere between the ages of 12
and 17. Most girls get their periods when
they are 12 years old. There are some girls,
however, who get their periods earlier. When
it happens for you depends on many different
reasons. Mostly, it depends on when other
women in your family first got their periods,
and how much your body has begun to mature.
Not Just a Girl Thing—It’s
a Positive Thing!
Some girls are nervous when they first get
their period. Some are excited. Some actually
feel afraid and others think of their periods
as a bother. Remember that getting your period
is another part of growing up. Think of it
not just as a girl thing, but a positive thing.
Here are some ways to help you think positively:
• Make It Special. Getting your period
can represent a special time you share with
your mother or another adult friend. Ask what
it was like when your mother first got her
period and how she became comfortable with
the change.
• Begin a Journal. Write about the
changes you experience and how you feel about
them. Also, keep a calendar and mark the days
that you have your period. You might need
this information for future doctor appointments.
• Have Fun. Be creative gathering all
the items you need. You can keep the items
in a special box, bag or drawer in your room
or bathroom.
• Read. Many books explain what’s
going on with your body and what periods are
like for other girls.
• Celebrate! Enjoy this special time
in your development, and share the excitement
with your mother and close friends.
Lorell Gordon, MS, M.Ed., is a licensed
professional counselor and the author of Tilly’s
Birthday: A Young Girl’s Introduction
to Menstruation (Learning All About Me), which
is available at Gordon’s Web site, www.learningallaboutme.com,
and www.amazon.com.
