How were you told about the onset of periods

We had quite a good education at school (Catholic), and my parents had a set of books on our bookshelf regarding puberty and sex education. I don't specifically remember getting a 'talk' from mum, but I remember my older sister getting upset when she started hers, and already being aware what she was going through.

I fondly remember my father calling me his young lady the afternoon that my period started, so obviously Mum had told him. Mine started during Sunday mass. Nothing embarrassing happened thankfully!

My mother didn't tell me anything and was totally unprepared when I started. I had been given a book about the facts of life but it didn't explain much at all. The following year we had a film at school but it was a bit late then. Most of what I found out came from friends.

My mother told me, but I’d have known anyway because of the endless talk about such things at my all-girls school. I had great prestige because I was the first in my form to start periods. I was eleven and 3 months.

I have a friend whose mother told her nothing, and when her periods started at the age of 13 she thought she was dying. She can’t have heard any playground gossip.

I started my periods about 13. Mum had bought stuff for me to be ready. The weird bit was when she told me never to go behind the garages with boys. I hadn't a clue! I thought she meant I could no longer play football with the boys and was desolate.

I was the youngest in my class at school, so friends started before me. So I asked my mum and she explained- it was just nature's way, she explained, to make sure my nest was ready for when I wanted children- it was to keep it clean. I just accepted it- quite a good explanation actually. She bought my STs and a belt and told me to put them in my draw so I would be ready.

She was keen to tell me, as she thought she was dying when she started and didn't tell anyone- using face-cloth and cutting up a towel.

I wasn't. Even though I had a sister who was 8 years older than me.

I learnt everything from my best friend who fortunately had a mother who talked about these things.

I had no idea about periods. I came home from school telling my mum I must have cut myself. She shot me into the bedroom away from my brother's and gave me big looped sanitary towels and a belt telling me this happens every month of your life. I was 11 years old.
One of my friends was given towels and told them to wear them every month when she got a headache. She had a headache on a train and promptly put the towel over her head putting the loops over her ears !!
I talked my daughters through the whole process.

We were issued with a booklet at my Catholic convent girl's high school telling us that even Mary had periods and they were God's gift to women or some such nonsense. Prior to that I had had "the talk" from my mother - a sort of no questions asked matter of fact statement type lecture. I learnt everything worth knowing in the playground from other girls who had less buttoned up parents and older sisters.

I wasn’t.
I started at school, and only the intervention of a down to earth headmistress stopped me from total meltdown.

My Dad had to explain it all and provide money for sanitary stuff. My mum thought everything was gross, breastfeeding (I had to leave the room in my own house), my stomach pregnant and I definitely did not get the sex talk