How this teen boy came to the rescue of a young girl who got her first period on the bus

A nightmare for many womb-owning women on their period is that they'll have a flow so heavy it will end up staining their clothing, especially while in public. 

The idea of period blood stains is often linked to embarrassment and shame, especially in a schooling environment where learners are not as understanding or mature enough to handle the situation well.

Recently, a particular young man happened to be the exception; and what a breath of fresh air he is with his 'periods are nothing to be ashamed of' attitude.

According to a mother's Facebook post in a closed group, which was anonymously picked up on the Reddit thread "Little Humans Being Bros", her daughter unknowingly got her period and had a blood stain on her dress. A boy who she didn't even really know politely whispered in her ear to spare her any nasty or humiliating comments from their peers. He then gave her his jersey to cover the stain.

• Also see: INFOGRAPHIC: First period tips and hacks

The mom wrote:

"My daughter started her period on the bus ride home today... and a boy a year older than her, who she doesn't really know, pulled her aside and whispered in her ear that she had a stain on the back of her pants and gave her his sweater to tie around her waist so she could walk home off of the bus. She said she was kind of embarrassed and originally said it's okay... but the boy insisted and told her 'I have sisters, it's all good!'

"If you are this boy's Mom.. I want to say thank you and that you are raising him right!!

"We hear so many bad things about today's youth, and I wanted to share something positive! :)"

The message was shared on Reddit on 22 October by a user "in hopes that this kid's mom sees the impact she made". It has since been upvoted nearly 20,000 times and quickly went viral all around the world.   

The comments are overwhelmingly supportive of the boy, and the mom for sharing. But as one user pointed out, it could've been the dad who taught his boy so well! 

Either way, to think that this boy gave his sweater (or as we call it, jersey) to someone he barely knows, is a clear indication of his kind nature.

It's not every day that you hear of such selfless acts, especially when it comes to high schoolers who usually perpetuate the idea that the shame of others is something to laugh about.

• Also see: Bloody hell! That's not fair!

The stigmatisation around periods is unfortunately still so rife so it's quite exceptional to have someone go against the grain and disregard thes. It's also good to know that this young man would stick up for a stranger in the same way that he would for his sisters. 

Now that's what I call breaking stereotypes of periods and teenage boys all at once; good on you, man!

Here are 5 things I taught my little ones (8 and 5) about periods to help them understand: 

• The womb is like a little "nest" where tiny babies can grow. The nest is warm and soft and keeps the baby safe. Once a month, if there is no baby, then the nest is shed to make space for a fresh little nest.
• This is called a "period" and it starts happening when a girl is around 10 to 13 and it keeps happening until she's old enough to be a grandma. [More or less, you know what I mean!]
• Our insides are red, and so the little nest is red. Nothing freaky about the period blood, nobody's hurt or dying.
• It's something we have huge awe and respect for, because it's the very first hug a baby gets! And yes, we were babies in our mommies' tummies too!
• It's something to be very proud of.

We did a whole series on periods and tweens. Here are some great stories to share with your tweens:  

• 10 myths about periods that you may still believe
• INFOGRAPHIC: Which menstruation product is the best for you?
• Dear tween me, let’s talk about your period, sweetie

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