Does Your Daughter Know How To Chart Her Periods?
As your daughter prepares for her first period, keeping track of when her period starts each month is important so that she can always be prepared.
Because we talk about having a period “each month,” this can lead to some confusion. Your daughter might begin to think that their period will always start on the first day of the month. As you know, this rarely happens.
Let’s help your daughter learn how to keep track of Day 1 of her period in each menstrual cycle. First, she needs to have an idea of how long each period might last. In the beginning, it might take a little time for her body to find its normal number of days for her period. She could have her first period and then not have another period for a few months. After she has had several consecutive periods, she will begin to recognize the normal number of days in one period. This can vary from about 5 days to 8 days.
As her periods become consistent, she is ready to begin charting her monthly menstrual cycle by counting Day 1 as the first day she sees menstrual blood. About mid-cycle, Day 14 in a 28-day cycle, is about when she is ovulating. These are two important landmarks for her to track.
This is a two-month calendar to help her understand how the charting should happen. It also makes it clear that Day 1 of her menstrual cycle when her period begins varies from month to month.
“I’m a Girl, My Changing Body” Illustration Page 59
It’s going to take a little time after she begins her period to become comfortable with the charting part. To help you as you explain this to her, I have created a 7-Minute Chat to guide the conversation for you.
If you go to my website, the downloads tab, you will find different Book Topics that are taken from my book, I’m a Girl, Hormones! The content about tracking your period is found in the Book Topics titled Preparing For Your First Period. There are also 7-Minute Chats that are free gifts to you when you purchase this Book Topic. This is an example of the 7-Minute Chat that goes along with the charting concepts I have talked about in this blog.
I hope you will find these small Book Topics helpful to you has you guide your daughter through this significant transition in her life. The 7-Minute Chats are going to make the times with your daughter fun and because they are brief, something she looks forward to.
Always remember, I’m on your team! We both have the same purpose, making sure your daughter is informed with accurate information through these important transitional years in her life.
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