Period Talk

Mrs.W_2

CruisingSaver wrote: »

I first did the talk with my daughter when she was around 10 years old and made a point of referring back to it occasionally over the next couple of years, including the kind of pads etc she wanted to try.

Needless to say when she started it was very much a non-event because she knew what to expect from our chats and just took it in her stride.

When I was her age one of my schoolfriends was totally distraught at what was happening to her because no-one had ever spoken to her about it and I swore that no daughter of mine would ever be in that position.

Love the idea of the sticky pad fight though I'm not too sure how my OH would have taken having a pad slapped on his baldy head!

CS x

My OH is also a bit of a shy sort. He quite possibly would have died of embarrassment had my eldest stuck a panty-pad to his broad-reaching forehead.

I should not laugh at that thought.

[Deleted User]

I haven't read all of this as I have to go to work, but please can the people who said they told there chldren from an early age, i.e.7 etc, tell me what wording they used.

At the moment my kid dont know about periods, (5&6) and I try to make sure any changes are done in private, but I am not a prude and know I need to gently bring it in if they ask question.

How do you answer there questions without it leading onto MORE. Again i don't mind answering but I dont want to go into a full sex talk at their ages, I don't see the need for it yet.

Miss_J

My girls (aged 11 and 9) know all about periods and sex, it's a hazard from having a mum who is a midwife. When my oldest started asking more in depth questions at abou 7 or 8 I invested in an Usborne book all about puberty and sex which was a great introduction for her. When her questions got even mor in depth I got a more in depth book, called something like Girltalk-periods which talks about hormones and emotions etc. I'm glad she was well prepared because her period started with vengeance a couple of weeks ago, a whole 9 days of bleeding. I was 13, so she's so much younger than I was. We discovered the teen range towels and liners from Lilets which she was really happy with.

flashnazia

A pad and tampon fight? *cringe*

I've already told my five year old. Just showed her picture of womb and said 'this is what baby grows in. If there is no baby in it, it bleeds every month, for girls when they are bigger than you' or something like that.

Lunar_Eclipse

Puddings wrote: »

he announced to the whole bar (all locals) that his little girl had become a woman and there was much cheering and clinking of glasses.

I would have died too.

Maybe I'm odd, but the celebratory aspect of girls starting their periods seems very primal and inappropriate to me. I can still remember my Grandma bursting with pride when telling us about my younger cousin becoming a woman. She was still a child who'd started her periods! I remember cringing and thinking 'thank goodness my mum didn't tell her when I started' (we think it's a very private thing.)

We had a simple discussion in our house. I think we all would have felt very silly running round the house with pads and tampons, trying to make it fun. But maybe that's just my personality/parenting style; I don't do pretending. Periods are crap. But necessary if you ever want children.

hazyjo

I think it should be something they're aware of growing up. I remember learning about it at primary school, so probably around 10 or 11. My poor sister started when she was around 10 (maybe even 9) and was the only girl in primary school to have them. Very awkward/embarrassing when it came to swimming lessons at school and the like though.

My twin nieces started at around 12 (both in the same month!).

I was very shy and secretive about it, despite being told lots. My mum's the sort who'll go out and tell everyone and I'm most definitely not! I think that made me quite embarrassed about it all. Hated trying to get a tampon or pad into the loo with me at school. Worried people would hear me opening the pack/pulling strip off.

Looking back, not sure why I was like that! Maybe it's cos we never really talked about it openly with friends... Although I do remember hearing about a skiing trip in the first year where a bunch of girls from my class (who I wasn't particularly best mates with at that time) went as a 'period'. Black bin liners over them covered in dangly tampons, pads stuck to it, etc. Haha how cringey lol. Wonder what the boys made of that!

Jx

Lunar_Eclipse

Deleted_User wrote: »

I haven't read all of this as I have to go to work, but please can the people who said they told there chldren from an early age, i.e.7 etc, tell me what wording they used.

We started with a bleeding bottom.

Admittedly this was when they were younger than 7 (3?) and I gradually introduced them to more detail (where/which bottom?) and biological language as they got older.

itsanne

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

We started with a bleeding bottom.

Admittedly this was when they were younger than 7 (3?) and I gradually introduced them to more detail (where/which bottom?) and biological language as they got older.

Now that would have been interesting in our house. My brother had tests because of a bleeding bottom as a little boy.

itsanne

Mojisola wrote: »

I know a few mothers who have arranged a "coming out" do when their daughters first period arrived - a small gathering for women/girls only, everyone wears something red, brings a small gift, red-themed food and/or decorations and a general welcome into womanhood.

Mojisola, you are one of the posters I always agree with. This time I would have been absolutely horrified if that had happened to me :eek:.

pawsies

My mum left a book on my bed and that was it.

I learnt most of what I knew through sex ed and friends.