Mothers shared with us …
Ingrid: I really think the weekend offered the girls an opportunity to see each other as individuals and to respect and admire that … rather than struggling to be the same. My daughter was full of enthusiasm and confidence the evening after and was desperate to remember and tell every little detail that she had experienced in the workshop … a great change from the apprehensive daughter I dropped off in the morning, also there was lots more questions and open discussion all evening. We were all held us all in the most respectful way and created the perfect level of depth so that we felt connected without delving into anybody’s “stuff”” and offered our girls just the right blend of practical knowledge and mystery.
Anh: I thought this day was very beneficial and enjoyable and I believe that it will have lasting benefits for our girls.
Lisa: One of the girls had her first period this week! I just happened to be driving all of the girls (except the birthday girl) out to the birthday girl’s camping sleepover party and the girls were discussing the news, as it had just happened that day. It was so wonderful to hear the real sense of celebration with which they all congratulated the ‘young woman’ in their midst and to hear them openly discussing her experience of getting her first period. When we arrived at the party the very first thing announced to the birthday girl was ‘the cherries have dropped’! What can I say, except that you have made a real difference for these girls and they really are celebrating their emergence as young women – thank you.
Susan: We all found the experience very enjoyable, comfortable, loving and bonding. The change in our girls was immediate. A great surge of relief and understanding seemed to have washed through them and bonded them together as sisters. My daughter Lily recently was the first to get her period. As a mother who attended the celebration day, I was still blown away by the new level of confidence and maturity Lily welcomed the experience. She happened to be spending the day at work with me during the school holidays and casually came up and told me. I fluffed around and said I had pads etc and she said,” It’s fine Mum, I’m all organised. I have been carrying them around with me since our Celebration Day.”
That night she was camping out with the same group of girls for a birthday celebration. I was concerned how she would be, until I dropped her off. She greeted all the girls with the ‘exciting’ news and together they whooped and cheered and had a group hug. (Very different to my memories at school!!!) They all reassured me they would look after her, so I drove off, a little teary, but very proud.
Another more recent experience I would like to share with you is an example of the continued bond between the girls. Lily held a birthday celebration at home with the same group of girls. When it came to serving the cake I produced the silver cake server which I had tearily presented on the day as a treasured memory of my newly departed mum. One of the girls noticed and commented how much she had liked my mum and all the girls nodded in agreement and one proposed a toast to ‘Nana’ for being such a warm and beautiful lady. So they clinked there plastic champagne flutes and sipped a toast (juice of course!). I looked around the group and felt so grateful for the love and respect these young woman were showing to me and understood the depth of there new awareness at being a part of something special – a part of a lineage of women. (I’ll drink to that.)
Lynette: I was just having a chat with some of the mums the other day and they were talking about how they could already see the positives from their girls having attended the Celebration Day, with the girls asking them questions and talking about things in a really comfortable way – so thank you once again for the work that you do!
Amaya: Thank you for a wonderful day on Sunday!! Layla came home that night and informed her dad and almost-12 year old brother of all the amazing, wonderful things she learned!!
Fiona: I feel there has also been a shift in our mother/daughter relationship. It’s like we’ve been initiated into a special club, exclusive just to the two of us – it’s wonderful!
Just wanted to let you know how wonderful Lucy and I felt after the Celebration Day on Saturday. When Lucy and I came home on Sat eve, she asked if she could use some of my tampons to “blow up” with her younger sister, who thought it was a hoot. Then Lucy got 3 pairs of undies and proceeded to try 3 different types of pads, one in each. She spent the evening trying on one and then the other, giggling at how they felt. Abby (9) was happy to watch and be intrigued by her excitement.
Lucy kept saying how she would happily do the same day over and over again. She loved how ‘it made it all more open with her friends’ and said she was chatting about it today with some of them. She hasn’t taken off her locket, except to sleep and shower. She happily told her grandmother yesterday all about it. But the stories we have kept anonymous so as not give away the sacredness of the day…
She looks confident and feels grown up having had the experience. She’s really looking forward to getting her period!! I had shown her how I mark it on the calendar and later, when my husband and I were talking about a date in a week or so, she whispered to me, “that’s when your period is due”. I never thought a period could be so exciting!!
Ying: Alice had a wonderful day yesterday and has not stopped talking about it. We had a 2 hour drive straight after the day and it was a lovely time for her to talk and reflect on what she and her friends experienced.
Dearne: Lauren really enjoyed Sunday. She has recreated her section of the seed mandala out of the proceeds that she brought home. It sits proudly in the middle of our dinner table on a special plate. It is wonderful to look at and she is very proud of this.
Attending your workshop has had so many benefits for us:-
Firstly – and most importantly – Lauren has been able to connect to another part of her feminine journey, in a safe and fun, yet respectful, way. It was special to share the time with Lauren and my mum. It has been years since I have attended any workshops due to my ‘mum’ duties. The facilitation was so down to earth, professional and real.
Thank you so much for such a beautiful weekend. It was such a deep delight to share that space with my beautiful girl and feeling a new dimension emerge in our relating since. So lovely!
Linda: I am feeling most rewarded by the experience of the Celebration. As Rachel was sharing with another mum from our school the amazing beauty of the weekend, I added that even if the children had not benefited in any other way, it has opened a dialogue between us as mother and daughter. I am looking forward to the development of this relationship and feel that Amelia and I now have something to share that will bond us forever. Amelia wanted to sit in the front with me on the way home, so we could be closer and she wore her locket to bed last night – I suspect she has not taken it off yet (to be confirmed…).
Sally: Thank you for a very special Celebration Day. I thought the content and the way it was presented were excellent and the whole day was sensitively approached. I am so glad that Sarah and I had this opportunity.
Cassandra: Kate is doing well, she truly benefited from her day with you and the other girls and is now menstruating as are at least two of the other girls. Kate has informed me that she feels it would be wonderful for her younger sister to have the opportunity to participate in this celebration of womanhood also. I have had several mothers give me positive feedback and also asking about future possibilities of involvement in a day with their child.
Louise: Firstly, I just want to say how fantastic the Celebration Day was this last Sunday; both Charlotte and I really enjoyed it and felt a real sense of sisterhood/womanhood. Charlotte hasn’t stopped talking about the vulva puppet! It’s so fantastic to have brought an openness amongst the girls which no doubt will foster future discussion.
Kelli: Many thanks for what was a very grounding and special time for Amy and I at last weekend’s workshop.
Lou: My daughter, Jess, blossomed and grew in confidence after the Celebration Day for Girls, her menarche experiences magically transformed. Words cannot express my gratitude for this pioneering work with girls and menarche. I know the repercussions of this workshop will have a profound effect on my daughter from her first cycle (menarche), supporting her friends, puberty, birth and motherhood and beyond, until menopause. A big thank you!