Personal Narrative: The Profound Impact of a Caretaker's Guidance

This personal narrative recounts a significant experience during the author's adolescence, focusing on the profound influence of a female caretaker. The narrative details an incident involving the onset of menstruation, highlighting the caretaker's compassionate guidance and the impact it had on the author's understanding of her body and sexuality. The essay emphasizes the importance of sex education and open communication, reflecting on how the incident fostered independence, dispelled fear, and shaped the author's perspective on personal growth and societal stigmas. The narrative underscores the lasting positive impact of the caretaker's actions, influencing the author's ability to navigate challenges and advocate for awareness. The essay also highlights the need for parents and schools to provide sex education to help children feel comfortable and prepared for life's challenges.

Running head: PERSONAL NARRATIVE
PERSONAL NARRATIVE
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1PERSONAL NARRATIVE
As both my parents are working parents, I tend to stay alone under the guidance and care
of a female care taker in my home. She was about 40 years of age. Apart from taking care of me
in the absent of my parents, she also used to do several other activities in the home. Since, I used
to spend most of my time under her guidance and care, she had a profound influence on my life.
It is her attitude of caring over the smallest of incidents helped to learn to give importance to the
smallest of the matters in life and learn accordingly. Though she was not my mother, her way of
caring for me never made me felt that I was not her own. In my free time, I used to have a
conversation with her and she used to make me understand various aspects of life. I consider her
to have a great influence on my entire career.
Though she herself was a woman of great nature, one such incident which happened in
her presence influenced me a lot and it even helped me to grow as well. The incident took place
when I was at the age of 14. Like my daily routine if life, I came from school, had lunch and was
watching some cartoon show on the television while sitting on the sofa. However, suddenly I
started to have pain in my stomach which I could not endure. Additionally, blood was coming
out from my private parts which was making the entire sofa red. I had no idea what was
happening to me and this was making me feel extremely frightened and nervous. My parents
were not even there to help me and guide this in this situation. However, the lady was there.
Seeing me crying, she came and cooled me down. She understood in the first instance what had
happened to me. As a result, she took me inside the bathroom, helped me in washing my private
areas and even made me wear pants which would prevent the blood from flowing. Though I was
very much reluctant in wearing the pants as I had no idea what was happening to me, she
comforted me and made me wear it and instructed me with great calmness explained me about
the period. She even made me understand that it is very much common to all girls of my age. As

2PERSONAL NARRATIVE
I was suffering from huge stomach ache, she even placed a hot water bag on my stomach and
made me lie down on the bed to relax. It is she who helped me in understanding the concepts of
periods and even helped me to overcome its fear. Thus, this incident made her have a great
positive impact on life.
The incident helped me in growing as the individual. The concept of the period was not
known to me at that point in time. The concept of the period became very much clear to me at
that point in time. After knowing the concept, I felt like I have become a little more independent
and have grown up altogether. The incident also helped me to understand what the things I need
to look on when my parents or the people who for me are not present. The incident helped me to
grow independent and do things more by myself in the upcoming future. It also helped me to
understand the fact that periods are not a stigma. It is something that is being faced by every girl.
It is something that every girl goes through and no girl should be ashamed of it at any point of
the time.
The incident had a great impact on my life. It helped me to understand that sex education
is very much needed. If I would have known about the concept of period, I would not have been
frightened to such a great extent as I was. On the other hand, if I would have had the knowledge
about the periods, then I would have prepared things by myself, instead of crying and depending
upon my care taker. Additionally, the incident also made me understand that it is very much
important for the parents to talk about these concepts to their children so that they do not feel
frightened and are able to face any situations that they have to tackle alone in the life. Therefore,
the schools must incorporate sex education which must be made compulsory to the students. On
the other hand, it is also the responsibility of the parents to talk to their children and make them
feel as comfortable as possible. Social awareness programs must also be conducted.

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