Womanhood

So my sister called my cell last Saturday and left me a voice message stating she had something to tell me. Being that Im not really the type to answer my phone, I figure hey if it's something important leave me a message and depending on how severe the message is, i'll return the call. So I barely heard my sister's vm this morning and from the tone of her voice telling me to call her back, it was either the latest family gossip OR someone did something to her and she got "hood" on them. Either way, it sounded business. So all day long I was so anxious to know what she had to tell me that I kept calling and texting her to call me back. Finally at 3:30pm she calls me and I was like "what is this message you have to tell me???" and with the seriousness of all seriouses she says " Haylie started her period." Haylie is my 11 year old niece that I previously blogged about. My sister was sad. In America this would be the sign of a young girl blossoming into a young woman who would be rewarded with Congratulations, balloons and smiles but my sister embraces our filipino culture and getting your period is a sign of ranging girl hormones & possible teen pregnancy. My sister told me the first thing she stressed to my niece was ABSOLUTELY NO BOYS till she was of age. What is of age anyways. I had my first crush when I was 12 and I thought I was of age. Can you imagine what I thought I was capable of when I turned 16? LOL....I cant imagine having a daughter and needing to have this talk of period, sex and boys. Not in that particular order. UGH! it frightens me. Back when I was younger, I used to tell myself that I was going to be a cool mom who'd let my daughter go to parties and date boys because I couldnt do any of these things back then. It was taboo to talk about sex to my mom. You utter the word sex around her and she'd have a fit! So I vowed to be cooler than her and NOW I dont know about that. I'd probably be as strict as my mom if not 10x stricter. At the same time, I also dont want to be my daughter's worst nightmare. I cant believe my niece has enter womanhood. I told my sister to keep her innocence for as long as she can preserve it. Another special moment in my niece's life that I was not present for. Then again she would be furious if she knew I blogged about her first mensy experience. Sorry Haylie. I love you like a daughter and I would probably do the same if I had my own. *sigh* where has the time gone?