When did you start talking to your daughter about menstruation?

[Anonymous]

When she very first started developing (around 3d grade). I bought her the American Girl book, started mentioning when it happened to me or making sure she saw me buying supplies. As she developed more, we talked more about what to do if it happened at school, what to expect, etc. She does not want to talk about it (that's gross, etc) but I also know she is curious and definitely did not want her to be unprepared.

[Anonymous]

Watching the movie Carrie, stopping after the shower scene to discuss what those things being thrown were, was sufficient education on the subject for DD.

[Anonymous]

My mother has a photo of my sister at about age 4 standing in the hallway with a tampon jammed between her little thighs.

(My mother was very claustrophobic and never closed the bathroom door, so we pretty much saw it all.)

[Anonymous]

I kind of wonder if starting very early is the lesson here, to make it feel less intense when you have the conversations later as they grow older. My mom always seemed so uncomfortable about the topic, and tried to have a conversation with me when I was 13 or so, and it was awful, I picked up on her issues and now I worry I will pass this onto my daughter.

[Anonymous]

Back in the 80's, my mom passed me some vintage booklets on the topic - from the 50's and 60's - and said "your dad wants you to have these" I was like WTH??

I actually loved the booklets for their illustrations (that very 50s/60s kind of illustration) and kept them for a long time but eventually tossed them (but wished I had held on to them). The talked about using belts and how adhesive was some new fangled idea but belts were really better. And there was also advice to not take a bath and also not to use really hot water bc that would increase the flow. They made getting your period sound very glamorous and exciting. What a let down when I actually got it and found out it was neither!

[Anonymous]

Started at age 9 as I knew FLE ("Family Life Education") started in FCPS for 5th grade. I gave her the AG book and bought her some pads and tampons (CVS brand) so she could have them as she read through the AG book. I talked with her about it for about 15 minutes (and I distinctly remember her saying, "You mean I have ovaries like a flower?!) and we had many conversations after that.

She has just finished the FLE week (in 5th grade, FCPS) and she absolutely disliked the diagrams used at school. "They were all so gross! I like the American Girl pictures better."

[Anonymous]

I have a 10 year old and have been grappling with this issue also. I did get the American Girl book and had her read it around 9 and asked do you want to talk and it was an adamant no. But then she asked me a couple of weeks ago when she will get a period as several girls in her class have them. I told her I did not know that there was this magic point where her body had the right composition of fat, growth and development and she would have it. While it is medically correct that the BMI influences when she will get it, it was a total mistake to mention it as she immediately started to try and diet. I also do not have a period as a result of having an IUD and I wonder if it is scarier for that fact. I just remember it being discussed in my 4th grade life skills class.