Mum hosts a 'first period' party for 14-year-old daughter

A mother hosted a menstruation party for her daughter to celebrate her first period, complete with a red velvet cake created especially for the occasion.

Shelly Lee, 46, from Florida in the US, told SWNS how her daughter Brooke, 14, was excited for the coming of age milestone, so she decided to do something to mark the occasion.

She said: “At the time, my daughter had been excited to get her period.

“When it did come I thought it would be fun to have a small celebration. It really was just our family and just a fun thing to do at home.

“I ordered the cake at a local store and when I asked them to write ‘Congratulations on your period’, they laughed. They even suggested we do a red velvet cake.

“I made her a little pack of everything she might need, tampons, pads, wipes and new underwear. I set it all up while she was in the shower.”

Lee, who also has a younger daughter, Byrnne, said she hoped the party would send a positive message to other young females.

She said: “It’s a big deal for young girls and I think it was an important message to let her know it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We all go through it.

“It wasn’t an elaborate party at all, just a little bit of fun.

“I am glad it’s becoming more popular, we got a lot of positive feedback when my niece shared the images on social media.

“I think when my other daughter Brynne gets hers we will have to do another party.

“Some people roll their eyes at the idea of a period party but I think it’s harmless and sends a good message to young girls.”

However, not everyone in the family wanted to be involved, as Shelly’s husband Mike did not join in his daughter’s celebrations.

“My husband stayed out of it though, I think he was happy to watch football while it was all going on.”

While periods are a fact of life for women from puberty through to menopause, they generally do not remain the same throughout our lives.

The menstrual cycle and our periods are actually dictated by hormones. The levels of those hormones in our bodies alter during different stages of our lives, so it makes sense that our periods change, too.

With additional reporting by Patricia Murphy and Sarah Lumley for SWNS.

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