My mom never talked to me about my period, just gave me a booklet when I came home with questions after hearing kids at school talking. Then, when I finally got it for the first time (and why, exactly was that an event everyone was so eager for???) I told _her_ I would not be using whatever the mysterious things in the little blue cardboard tubes were (I think it was some sort of napkin thing that sprang out and re-inflated when you opened the little tube, kind of like the Pillsbury Doughboy!) but that I needed her to go to the store and purchase tampons for me. Which she did :-)

Nanci