SEC-S11W1: The most embarrassing moment of my life as a kid

Hi, friend
There's nothing worse than having your clothes stained at a public gathering. It is nothing compared to tripping right in the middle of a nuptial dance. But both events happened to me when I was only a kid. I will share these experiences so you can determine which is the most embarrassing.

My first menstrual flow came right at my school principal's office. I was only 10 and had been invited to his office for a briefing. There was an upcoming essay so I and a few other brilliant students were selected to represent the school. I never knew Aunt Flo came visiting until a teacher pulled me aside when I was leaving and asked if I had any sanitary pads in my bag. No one needed to tell me that I WAS STAINED.

I felt the ground open up that minute to swallow me.

I thought of the class jester—a boy—who enjoyed making fun of everyone. I thought of the juniors who looked up to me as their role model. I thought of how my wet dress will spill my secret to everyone. I wanted to go home so badly that I didn't realise when I started crying.

The next was when I joined my aunty's wedding train as a flower girl. My outfit was a beautiful long lemon princess gown which I rocked with a lovely white pair of blocked-heeled shoes.

As an aside, heeled shoes were/are my favourite, the same way I love dancing to Naija jazz. So when the compère asked the couples to dance, I leapt from my chair and started displaying trending dance moves. I got intoxicated at a point and something told me to show the world what I've got.

The reception venue was built like a theatre. The proscenium stage was below and you needed to walk down fleet of steps to get to it. But trust me, I ran down instead. On getting to the last step, I lost my balance and tripped. I was this close to hitting the bride but her maid of honour caught me right on time. I cried…I crode…I crew. Even the Bobo the usher offered me could not appease me. I was ashamed of myself and vexed that I couldn't show the guests my pro azonto dance skill.

I never deserved what happened neither did anyone. But I was naive and just a victim of circumstance. However, every experience comes with lessons.

• Accept that it is a natural phenomenon and educate your boys and girls before now.
• Prepare your kids mentally, psychologically and materially. At 8 every girl should have a little purse where she puts a spare pad in either for herself or others. I remember giving my first pads to my cousin who came to visit but had none on her.
• Embrace your girl and never ridicule her when stained. (I stressed this because a grownup boy found it funny shaming a girl online for being stained.)
• Talk about menstruation confidently with your kids. It's not a virus so it shouldn't be treated like one.

• When walking down the stairs, land on both toes and soles at the same time.
• When walking up the stairs, place your toes first before your sole.

The first step would have helped prevent that fall.

I still cringe when I think about them though and almost did not write this…because I'm still darn embarrassed at the thought of everything, particularly the first experience. Still, I have shared how these events happened because there is a lesson for everyone. Which of these did you feel was the most embarrassing?

Special invitation to @yhudy @chiomzy810 @joymm