Friday I was sitting down watching one of my favorite talk shows The Real. It was their special Breast Cancer Awareness episode. As I watched the show it dawned on me that I had not yet had the conversation with Nishe’ about the importance of self breast exams. I mean we had the birds and bees conversation. We’ve talked about puberty but for some unknown reason this one conversation slipped through the cracks. I decided right then and there that I would have it with her when she got home from school.
Oh one thing I left out of the introduction. Um…. I actually can’t stand serious conversations like this. My mom literally had to lock me in the room with her to have all these serious conversations. Unfortunately me being the parent I can’t run no matter how badly I wanted to. So I watched the clock and waited for time to pick her up. I went and got her but yet didn’t bring up the conversation. Okay I’ll admit it I stalled for two hours. Giving myself every excuse in the book. She had to study, I had to cook, I had laundry to fold. I kept this up until I had nothing else to stall with. it was now or never.
So I called her in the room and I asked her if she knew what the month of October was. She said she did and told me that it was breast cancer awareness month. I told her good. I asked her what she knew about it and she told me what she knew. She said that it was a cancer where women find a lump in their breast and how sometimes they lose their breasts to mastectomies. She also knew about mammograms. I asked her if she knew how to check herself for lumps and she told me no. So I went through the steps with her. I told her:
1. She needed to lay on the bed.
2. raise each of her arms above her head
3. Then check her breasts all around with two fingers.
To make sure I was giving her the proper information we went to the website Breastcancer.org and read over it. I wanted her to be well informed. I’m glad we went because I found a few things that I didn’t tell her. Like raising your hands in the mirror to see if you noticed anything different. I explained to her that she needed to do this ever so often because although mammograms aren’t necessary until 40 that you can get cancer at any age and early detection gives you a better chance of survival.
Have you had the self breast exam talk with your teen? How did she handle it?
There you go again, being a wonderful Mom! Cudos to you for having that talk with your daughter! I have 2 grown daughters and it just occurred to me that I have not even asked them if they are doing their breast self exams! What was I (not) thinking. We lost my Mom to breast cancer in 2012.
Thanks for sharing! Pinning to my Breast Cancer Awareness board.
Shirley Wood recently posted…Home Matters Linky Party #11 And A Giveaway
Thank you for stopping by. I just don’t think that that’s something we as parents think about until later. I think the conversations to start earlier and I’m glad I watch that show because I don’t think I would’ve ever thought about it otherwise. Thank you so much.
My daughters are not teens yet so I haven’t had the talk with them. I definitely will though because breast cancer runs in my family.
Yes very important. I just want to my daughter to know that early detection is key and cancer has no preference so I would like for her to be aware. Thanks for stopping by.
Such an important talk to have! It’s good to encourage every girl/woman to be aware!
Lauren Harmon recently posted…DIY Alice in Wonderland #Halloween Costume
Yes I’m glad that I took opportunity to speak with her about it. Thank you for stopping by.