This book is beautiful, accessible and just meets a real need!
Cycle Charting for Girls is succinct, factual, and fun! Knowing this information about our bodies is empowering for every girl...it's a perfect launching pad for truly appreciating our feminine design.
Does your daughter know that...
We all say it...
I can't tell you how often I hear this in my work as a cycle and fertility educator:
"Why did no one tell me this when I was growing up?!"
Our feminine design is truly amazing, and it's mind-blowing how different our perspective could have been if we'd only been told what was happening in our bodies and why.
And now that you have a teenage daughter, you have the chance to make her experience different. Because if you're waiting for her school or friends to tell her the truth about her menstrual cycle...you'll be waiting a while.
Your daughter deserves the dignity of knowing her God-given design - and that includes her menstrual cycle.
As a society, we HAVE to stop waiting until a woman is trying to have children to tell her critical information about her body. As parents, we can:
Tell her it's NOT okay to suffer with painful cramps or heavy bleeds for years instead of figuring out what's wrong
Give her basic health information about what is actually going on during her menstrual cycle
Promote a positive connotation around menstruation by acknowledging the challenging aspects AND the beauty of feminine design
More than just periods
Because what's happening "beyond the bleed?"
The answer to "is this normal?" for everything from painful cramping to the discharge in her underwear
Ovulation as a sign of health, not just fertility
A bunch of hormones affecting everything from mood to energy level to exercise preferences to sleep patterns and everything in between
So what do I advocate for? Teen girls being able to read the language of their bodies - and that's exactly what I teach in Cycle Charting for Girls.
A handbook to teach your daughter how to chart from her first period through young adulthood
Imagine your daughter:
Knowing what's normal and what's not when it comes to cycles (instead of suffering needlessly for years)
Navigating awkward conversations with the doctor with confidence in knowing how her body works
Being able to take care of herself based on where she's at in her cycle
Charting? Already???
I know, she was just learning to walk like, yesterday, right?
Of course she doesn't need charting for family planning right now. This isn't NFP for teens.
What Cycle Charting for Girls does is introduce her to these concepts so she
1) can identify any health issues early and
2) know the basics for when she's ready to add the fertility components down the line.
It's like teaching her addition before fractions: The foundation makes it easier to simply add in concepts later on.
But guess what???
As a mom and a cycle educator, I don't believe that every girl NEEDS to chart.
But I DO believe firmly that every girl should know about her body and be introduced to the skills which will allow her to chart if she wants to!
The text emphasizes that charting is a practice which girls should feel free to pick up and leave off with whenever they want to, according to their preferences and situation.
Incremental Learning
I've broken Cycle Charting for Girls into two levels: basic for those first few years of "practice" cycles and advanced charting once cycles become a bit more mature.
Ages 11-16
BASIC CHARTING
As cycles begin and fluctuate during this period of learning, we keep it simple with a wheel chart and simple observations of cervical fluid, mood, and energy levels.
Ages 16+
ADVANCED CHARTING
Now that she is most likely having more ovulatory cycles, we add in how to look for ovulation as a healthy sign and to assess the phases of her cycle for regularity. We also introduce tracking temperature if desired and keeping a graph chart.
Answering all the awkward questions
It can be uncomfortable asking these kinds of questions to parents or doctors, so I ask - and answer - alllllll the questions so they don't have to.
What's that sticky discharge in my underwear and is it normal? (Spoiler alert: It is, and I teach them how to observe it.)
Are my cycles too long or short? Am I actually ovulating yet?
Why am I so cranky or break out in acne at certain times of my cycle?
Plus the questions she doesn't even know to ask, like how the first few years of cycling are different as the body learns or what happens with hormones during the menstrual cycle.
And of course, I provide so many examples (and templates!) on how to keep various kinds of charts, including apps, to track all this newfound information.
Got Questions?
We want better for our daughters...
And I think better looks like teens who are:
Knowledgeable about how their bodies, menstrual cycles, and hormones work
Cognizant of their needs, prioritize self care, and can confidently seek help when things seem off instead of suffering needlessly
In awe of the dignity of their bodies and feminine design
The bloody mess the world tries to tell our daughters to dread? I think we need to embrace it - and that positive outlook centers on knowledge through charting.
Her menstrual cycles are telling her something.
Help her understand the "language of the body" through charting.
Give her the gift of body confidence through knowledge with Cycle Charting for Girls.