Period talk? When, how what...

So I grew up in a house where you did not talk about anything and just learned from school. My girls are 9 and I know periods are starting earlier and earlier. Should I talk to them now, together or seperate??? We have the American Girl book on development and skipped over that section, should I revisit that part?

 

I would talk to them now.

Sarah's 8 and she read the American Girl "Body Book" multiple times. She's totally fascinated by non-fiction reading anyway and she loves that book. We've talked about periods (actually we've covered sex and reproduction also). I just try to handle it as just "this is something that happens to all girls when as they grow up. What else do you have questions on?"

I would definitely handle it separately. My two are at totally different levels on this stuff. Sarah pretty much understands how sex and reproduction happens and what a period it. She's also has a working knowledge of how things will change as she gets older. Timothy knows a little bit about how things will change but he hasn't asked too many questions. I've just tried to take things as they come.

Part of it has also been that my kids are at the horse barn. And, well, males horses get a LOT of erections. Sarah tends to be more observant anyway so she's quite curious about that. Timothy has noticed, but hasn't asked much. I think it's because his sister has been around when he notices and then he forgets to ask later. Sarah also waits to ambush me when I'm in her room and asks stuff totally out of the blue.

You might also ask your girls how much they know. It might surprise you what they've picked up.

Marissa

 

I handed the American Girl body book to DD when she was 8. I was an early bloomer as was my sister and mother so I felt it was important to get the information to her early. So far she has been lucky and not completely followed in our footsteps.

 

OK I will talk to them this weekend. This is the one topic I dread!!

 

Growing up I always thought to myself, that if I had kids, I did not want girls because I hated that 'talk' with my mom. She brought us together and we had 'fun' filling tampons up with water. I'm much more comfortable with it now... hopefully the talk will go well when it happens.

 

My girls knew about periods very early on. When I came home from the hospital after having Jake (a little over 4 years ago), they asked me about the pads. I started with a little information then. At this age (they will be 12 in October) we have already even passed the sex talk. They know most of the information about sex that I think an 11 year old can know. They are also understanding references of songs from the radio now (ex: "the square root of 69 is 8 something"). This is the age. Make sure they have the information YOU want them to have. The girls started coming home from school with false information, so that is how we started with the conversations. The period talk is definitely easier than the sex talk. Trying to explain that people have sex other than to have babies is hard one (no pun intended :ibiggrin: ).

 

I talked to them last night. Zoe said that she could handle it for the 5-7 days, but when I told her every month until she was in her 40's or 50's she looked like she wanted to punch me. LOL

 

I don't blame her! I totally felt the same way at that age.. still.. that is one thing I absolutely hate.

 

OMG that reminds me of when my friend said she was talking to her daughter about periods...thought she explained it well then a couple days later she was talking about her period and her daughter looked at her and said "omg...you STILL get your period???" Wouldn't it be nice if it was just that one month!

I have found a couple of books that go along with the American Girl book (one is like a question/answer one). I talked to Josie at 9 or 10 but I am finding McKenna (7) is asking questions MUCH earlier. Did anyone else have the talk much earlier with siblings? Last year McKenna found Josie's american girl book and came to me with the page open of the girl showing how to put the tampon in :woah: I am not going to lie I handled it completely wrong, closed the book and told her when she was older I could explain. I just thought at the time she was 6 and that was too young. Do you think it would be wrong to explain at 7 if she asks again...and obviously not talk about the sex part. Even though she has said she knows what sex is (she says its when a man and woman kiss and make out...I am fine with her believing that for now).

 

My mom explained the birds and the bees when I was 8 years old. She had a book and everything. I remember thinking I'm NEVER going to do that! lol I remember thinking that a woman's period lasted all month with a week break. I was very relieved to hear it was a week long and not a month. Of course she didn't mention PMS or anything so sometimes it feels like a month long.

I always thought I would talk to my kids early but DS is turning 7 in a few months. I really am not ready for this discussion in the next year or two! DH's family was a don't talk about it type so it falls all on me.

 

When my little sister got her period I said something to her about it. She said "yeah but I had it so it is done" I said till next month, She said "What you mean I get it again" LOL


I remember being younger and reading a book called "where did i come from". It is hard for me to accept the kids are getting older and need to know this stuff.

 

I remember that book!

You know I can't remember when I had the 1st discussion with my DD about periods because I've always told her little bits pieces for eg. when I had my period, I had PMS, or we went grocery shopping and I bought tampons/pads then all the maternity ones lol!

But this year she turned 12, and both my sister and I separately bought her books on body development - she thought it was an overload because I had got two and then my sister sent her one from the UK - she was very embarrassed and said she already learns this during their PE classes but I explained to her that I wanted her to read it at her own pace and we could go over things she didn't understand properly. I then took her grocery shopping and got her tampons and she likes to wear panty liners.. I always make her have some pads and tampons in her school bag in case she gets it there and for when she goes to her dad's for holidays, I even have an emergency plan that she is to call her dad's ex-wife (ex-step-mom sounds weird huh?) if she gets it when she is with him (he lives in a different state) - talk about getting it all covered!!! But it was never discussed when I was growing up and I didn't want the same thing for her.

And the best thing, every now and then she will ask me a question and inside secretly I get all pleased that she is asking because I would never had with my mother!

 

The talk was actually not so bad, especially since it sounded like there had already been chatter among the school.

 

Thought about you today Chrissy. I took a bunch of girls to the washroom and one of the toilets hadn't been flushed so there was lots of "ewwwwwwing" and it started a conversation about other times they've seen unflushed toilets. (just another day ya know...) and a 7 year old mentioned seeing a toilet with BLOOD in it once.

First, who doesn't flush that? and second, good thing I was a listener and not in the conversation because I was soooooo not going there.