My daughter, Emily, was 11 when she started her period at school.

Her teacher noticed a stain on the playground and pulled her aside.

As I talked to her teacher this week on the phone, I was shocked to learn that half of her class started their period at school this fall.

I was totally unprepared, and so was she. I cried a little.

I was disappointed in myself.

I knew that I had let her down at such a critical moment.

At school, they gave her a maxi pad that was WAY too big for her body.

The school didn’t have extra panties so she had to wear the blood-stained ones until I could get there to rescue her.

When I finally got to her, she seemed ok, but I was a mess.

At home, I gave her one of my pads, but it didn’t fit her well either.

So off to the store we go.

I stood in the pad aisle for the first time with my daughter and I remember feeling so overwhelmed.

We tried everything in the store, but it wasn’t until I went online and found RedDrop that I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Their prep kits and pads are made specifically for Emily.

I love that their pads are thin.

My daughter doesn’t worry about her friends seeing them through her leggings.

Plus, the convenience of having all of her supplies come to us in the mail.

No more last-minute runs to Target and one less thing for me to worry about.

I feel more prepared.

I am doing my “mom” job better without spending more money.