My First Period

Question:

hi phyllis!!! first off, i want to tell you that i have loved loved loved your books since i was in 4th grade. I’m just ending 6th now, but i have read almost all of them. I have written to you before, but it has been months. I’m twelve and three months ago, i got my first period. i was at my friends birthday party and i went upstairs from her basement to go to the bathroom. when i pulled my underwear down, i saw a lot of brown. i had read about getting your period on websites ,and American Girl books, so i thought i had gotten it, but wasn’t sure. i started breathing really fast and when i wiped, i saw red blood. i went downstairs and told my friend, who had gotten her period a few months before. i told my mom and older sister, not my dad. my real questions are: how should i tell him? and how often should i be getting it? I’ve gotten it once since then, but that’s it besides discharge…. thanks a lot!!!! i love your books!

Phyllis replied:

Very often periods are irregular for a while when you first begin, so you might want to have a pad available somewhere if you do–in a pocket of a back pack or a zipper pencil bag or something.  As for telling your dad, he might already know if your mom told him.  If not, why not ask her to tell him?  I found that the easiest way to do when I got my first period.