A teacher has begged parents to discuss menstruation openly with their children after a fourth-grader started her period during class and had no idea what was going on.
The teacher took to Reddit earlier this month to recount the anecdote, explaining the girl disappeared in the bathroom and was convinced she had ‘pooped her pants but in the front’.
It turned out that the girl was having her period for the first time, and was left so confused by the experience she had to go home.
Appeal: A teacher took to Reddit to ask begged parents to discuss menstruation openly with their children after a fourth-grader started her period during class and felt confused
‘It’s not even 8:30 and I was supervising 3-4th graders before classes start and this 4th grader girl went to the bathroom to basically not come back,’ the teacher wrote.
‘When I went to check on her she said she couldn’t come out and something was wrong, that she had pooped her pants but in the front.
‘She had her period. She had no idea what it was and nothing of the sort. I had to give her a super long maxi pad because I had nothing else and I had to call her parents to send her home because she was completely confused and sad.’
The teacher then used the story as an example of why it is important for parents to talk about menstruation with their sons and daughters, in order to minimize confusion.
Discussion: The teacher then used the story as an example of why it is important for parents to talk about menstruation with their children, in order to minimize confusion (stock picture)
Opening up: Other Reddit users emphasized with the anecdote, and several people shared the story of their first period, with several people recounted how they were tormented for it
‘You cannot control when you get your period, but you can sure prepare your daughters for it. Please do so,’ the teacher added.
‘There is nothing weird about talking about it with girls and boys. It’s just not my job as a teacher to go through that with children in such a personal and private discussion.’
Other Reddit users emphasized with the anecdote, and several people shared the story of their first period, with several people recounted how they were tormented for it—something that could have been avoided if other children had known more about menstrual cycles.
‘My first period started in 4th grade and I remember being absolutely destroyed by the other kids in school,’ one of them wrote.
‘Kids knew about periods, but thought everyone got theirs in high school. I was covered in blood and was humiliated because the boys assumed I was peeing blood and the girls thought that meant I was having sex. In 4th grade.
‘I was so embarrassed. Teach your kids that everyone is different and periods start at different times. Being early or late isn’t weird.’