I am starting off by saying a may offend a few people with this post. If you’re offended, stop reading it. I’m not twisting your arm to stick around.

What this post really comes down to is food, but I’m connecting it to school.

In one of the two elementary buildings I work in, I was informed a few weeks ago about a third grader who has already started her period. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I started in 6th grade, as did most of my friends. Some started later, but 5th and 6th grade was when it happened for my generation. So 3rd grade!?!? EGAD!! But that’s not all…

Today I was invited into a conversation with a small group of teachers who frequently encounter a different little girl. Apparently she has had several tests and her mother has been told she will have her first period ANY DAY. Here’s the crazy part; she’s 7. She’s in FIRST GRADE!!! And do you think the mother had talked to this little girl about what’s going to be happening to her body?? Nope!! So today she ran to her teacher in panic saying her “juices” were coming out. She has no idea what’s happening to her body. Oh, and she’s also experiencing cramps, but she’s not intellectually able to define or understand these occurrences.

Now, I know there are a ton of little girls across the country starting their period much earlier than in the past. The thing that gets me is parents continue to ignore the reason for all of this.

Let’s get real simple here. What causes a period to start? Hormones! What causes menstrual  symptoms, complications and onset? HORMONES! What do food producers constantly fill our food with?!?!?! Let me hear it! HORMONES!!!!!!

Now, I’m not saying you’re a bad parent if you take your kid to McDonald’s now and then, or anywhere else for that matter. However, I AM saying you’re a bad parent if fast food is a staple in your child’s diet. I know there are many other sources, but seriously, if you’re gonna take your kid to a fast food joint every day or even every other day, you might as well let them drink pure gasoline. It’ll have equally tragic consequences.

I am far from a health nut. I eat fast food sometimes. I drink alcohol. I put things in my body that I could easily so without. The trick is that I do all of this in moderation. I tell myself no. When I have kids, they’ll hear “no” frequently. It’s part of being a responsible adult and parent.

Oh, and just a little food for thought: early onset puberty is linked to early onset uterine, ovarian and breast cancer in girls. So stop feeding your children poison all the time and give their bodies a chance to thrive!!

Also, please use turn signals on the road.