When did you start talking to your daughter about menstruation?
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Anonymous
| My DD is 8. From talking to other parents, it seems like half of them have talked to their daughters about menstruation and half have not. DD shows a little interest in the topic but is very resistant to any type of change. For instance, I talked to her about breast development and she burst into tears. When is the right time to talk about getting her first period? |
Anonymous
| DD is 10 and I have talked about it some, but like your DD she's very sensitive to talking about puberty issues -- avoids it, gets upset, etc. So I got her the American Girl book called the Care and Keeping of You. I found it to be really good -- sensitive but frank. She read it when she felt comfortable and then we could talk about it more easily afterwards. |
Anonymous
|
I was talked to too late. Got my period at age 8 and had no idea what was going on. I never told my parents (didn't menstruate again until age 10)
At age 9, I think, my grandparents (!) got me this book http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-Body-Book-Girls/dp/1557044449 -- well, the 1980s version. It was super, super helpful. |
Anonymous
| Do you (her mom, I assume) have your period? I learned because my mother bought tampons and pads -- I asked what they were for and she explained. |
Anonymous
| I like the American Girl book approach that 22:05 mentions. Let DD read it when she feels comfortable, and then you can follow up with mother-daughter discussions. Definitely don't let the book be her only source of information. And when she gets her period, be supportive of her. |
Anonymous
| My 9 yr old DD has seen me purchasing pads and taking them into the bathroom. She asked me about it, so I told her. I have even shown her how to put them on the underwear. She is really curious. She is also grossed out by it but mainly curious. When I get cramps, I whisper that to her, and she feels somewhat proud that I have confided this to her. The she asks if I need some tylenol or if i want a hot water bottle for my tummy. It's cute. I think just being open and frank is the way to go. My parents told me nothing, and I had to learn it all from Judy Blume books. |
Anonymous
| 9 yrs. old. Of course when I started talking to her she piped up and said "Are you talking about my period?" and I said "Yes" and she said "Oh yea, Mary already told me about that". Mary being her best friend. |
Anonymous
| Also 9..she knew a bit from a book she had looked at in her school library and was really interested in talking with me about it. I got her the AG book mentioned above and we went through it page by page. |
Anonymous
| By 8. The AG book is really good. I also got her the "My 1st Period Kit" from dotgirlproducts.com and when it arrived in the mail she went through it. It has a little booklet explaining things, etc. It came in handy when the time came, and she said she was glad she had it. She told me to do the same thing for her sister, so I have. Younger DD is 11 and the kit is still waiting. |
Anonymous
| My mom picked up some pamphlets on menstruation and growing up at her OB/GYN office when I was 8 or 9 and just gave them to me. She also gave me "Are You There God It's Me Margaret." I don't remember having a specific conversation with her, but definitely felt prepared when I started my period at 11. |
Anonymous
| I talked to my DD at age 8 or so. She's 9 now and just had "family life education" at school and it was all about puberty and the changes that will be coming. I'm glad they had that to supplement what I had already told her. Apparently, some parents opted out for their kids, which I don't quite get. |
Anonymous
| 4th grade is when I talked to DD about this. Most of her friends mom talked to their kIds around the same time. I guess it depends on how curious your daughter is and her physical devlopment. My DD didnt get her 1st period until she was almost 14 and some ( most) of her friends much earlier. I agree the AG book is great.. |
Anonymous
Oh, man, that book confused me SO MUCH -- she keeps talking about the sanitary napkin belt -- trying it on, etc. Of course, those type of pads no longer existed... |
Anonymous
This made me laugh too. I was utterly baffled by that book. Had no idea what they were talking about  I'm thinking it's what prompted me to ask my mom what a period was.....but I certainly wouldn't use it as a teaching tool for a kid that doesn't have other specific information!
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Anonymous
| PP once more....I realize, that wasn't exactly what the poster was suggesting. It just brought some funny memories about that book. I think it might be a nice adjunct for a kid who likes to read to have a story about how a girl feels about getting her period. As long as she knows what that means first! |