To think the sample girls pack from the school nurse was totally inappropriate.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Dd wanted a private talk this morning. Turns out that in Friday they had the puberty talk and were given a pack. Except they ran out of time so no time to discuss how to use the products.

There were a couple of always panty liners, three Always towels a normal one, a night one and a "silk" one. They were huge. I can't see dd bring able to wear a leotard in one of those.

Then there were two Tampax Compact (the ones with plastic applicators) one Regular Yellow one & one green Super one. As if a year 6 child will be able to insert one if those. When I was at school we were given a same of the special lites ones. They could put her off for life.

Luckily I had anticipated this and a couple of months ago bought a lovely little make up style case by Lillets contains various if their teen products. Smaller child sized towels but that are supposed to be extra absorbent and small easier to insert tampons.

I know they were free samples but really!!'n

[StealthPolarBear]

Poor girl. This dancing sounds quite intense and demanding

[Greythorne]

You sound like a lovely mum. It is hard to imagine our little ones growing up, becoming teens. But periods are a fact of life and offering pretty, teen themed tampons doesn't make the process of starting one's periods any easier.

Open dialogue, however, between you are your daughter will make things somewhat easier for her.

You need to sit down and have a chat about how she will manage her dance classes on the days when she has her period. Tampon or not, you need to discuss it.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I expect it will be demanding. But it's her choice. In fact she had a late audition because initially I didn't want her to audition. I had a change of heart in that I thought I didn't want her to think what if later in life.

It's not just dance shell be doing singing, mysicsl theatre etc.

So maybe u was being unreasonable but after seeing in mumsnet about all the great products available these days that were much more absorbent but easier to manage at first I thought surely they would use those products.

And to the poster who said about it being covered in the next lesson - there is no next lesson. The girls going on to the high school next door will get another puberty session in year 7 of high school.

[EuroShaggleton]

I'm another one who had pretty heavy periods, pretty much from the off (aged 12).

My mum wouldn't let me use tampons to begin with (grrr) so I had a couple of years of awful leaks. Then she relented. I always used tampax. I would have thought they would be much better than lilets as they are long and thin with an applicator. Lilets widen out much more when they get wet (and I never got on with them, even as an adult). Also, some teenage girls are not comfortable putting fingers inside.

[VonHerrBurton]

I don't get all the worry, mystery and 'adult stuff' as someone referred to upthread.

My ds was 9 (now 10) when we had The Talk. I got a bowl of water, tampons and pads out and let him have a good look, put the tampon into water, see what happens. Whilst he was doing that I explained that anytime soon the girls in his class may 'start'. I think its very important that parents of boys detail periods with them at an early age. I don't want my son to be the tosser that shouts 'youve got blood all over your skirt' at some poor girl. If some parents didn't treat biology like it wasn't going to happen to them, wed all be a lot better off and it would all be more open - not hidden away in twinkly bags like its a source of embarrassment.

[marriedinwhiteagain]

Mrs deVere - hugs.

[valiumredhead]

Von, I've done the same with my son.

[thebody]

Wow, never thought of doing this with my sons! Why bloody not. What a great idea though now in their 20s probably a bit late!!

[Tapirbackrider]

My dd got her first period at 10, in the middle of Tesco. The staff couldn't have been nicer, blocked off a changing room for her, brought wipes, a selection of clothing (she had to have a complete change from the waist down) and were completely lovely.

We'd already had the talk about puberty, sanpro and all related things after some of her friends had started their periods at 9!

Dd and ds have had great fun trying to recreate some of the craft items found on the tamponcraft website

[FryOneFatManic]

VenusUprising Mon 17-Jun-13 11:20:32
Oh this brings me back to ju mother having hysterics that I would deflower myself with tampons.

And this, in a nutshell, is the idea behind the older generation being so disapproving of tampons. It might be dressed up as a concern for safety, eg not using tampons at night in case of TSS. But the ignorant idea that somehow "good" girls didn't use tampons was quite widespread. Even some of my school mates had mums who wouldn't let them use tampons because "it wasn't proper for girls", and I'm 44 so not that old.

[valiumredhead]

Thebody-my son's school did it too in a puberty workshop they held.

[BackforGood]

At my dcs Primary school, both the boys and girls have the same lessons. The do split them into boys in one room and girls in the other, but they all get to find out about tampons, sanitary towels, wet dreams, the lot. I'd be surprised if that wasn't the same for all Yr6 ??

[lainiekazan]

I wish I'd had any kind of talk when I was in Year 6. My periods started at 12 and it was a nightmare as my mother had failed to give any kind of "talk" or even left a book on my bed (as my friends' mothers did). A school talk would have been a godsend.

And as others have said, for some girls the bigger the better! My periods were terrible during my teenage years. The pain was debilitating and I sometimes had to wear two pads at once to cope with the flow. Oh, the joy when wings came in!

I remember watching the television when the advert came on with whatsername... the agony aunt... advertising towels with wings. My mother huffed and puffed and said those sort of adverts shouldn't be allowed. And I agree with FryOneFatManic, my mother was cross when she saw I'd bought some tampons (when I was 17) and said I'd have to buy them out of my pocket money. Oh... and deodorant wasn't allowed and nor were, wait for it.... bras! (Thank goodness I was not very well endowed!)

[valiumredhead]

Did anyone have the book 'have you started yet?'

It was brilliant,all the girls read it in our year,we borrowed it from the library, it was very well thumbed

[marriedinwhiteagain]

Blimey laineykazan, dd's suddenly in D cups - she's be bouncing everywhere if I vetoed bras. I even buy my 18 year ds condoms. Someone on here once called me a narrow minded old boot!! Haha

[TallulahBetty]

How can some people on this thread say year 6 is too young for this talk?! IMO, it's too OLD!! I started my period in year 6 (aged 10) so this talk would be too late for me! And many others these days I expect. Lucky for me my mum had prepared me years earlier, but for those not so lucky? Needs to be age 8 I think.

[valiumredhead]

I agree that 8 is more appropriate.

[madamginger]

Valium I had that book! I started aged 10, and I gave it to a friend at school when I was 12 and her mum went batshit.
I hated tampons at that age I always used pads (and the pill and tranexamic acid) I was soooo heavy I used to get through 3 packs of kotex super heavy every period.
I converted to a mooncup a few years ago and I love it.

[valiumredhead]

Ha ha it was such a good book, told you everything very clearly and simply.

[Ghostsgowoooh]

Some girls are eleven in year 6. Depends when their birthday falls. Dd friend turned 11 last sep but dd is not 11 till August. Both start year 7 in September.

Anyway yabu. I really thought when I opened your thread I was going to read the nurses pack contained a pack of condoms or something.

My first period was heavy and its stayed that way ever since

[Dancergirl]

I had that book valium! It was THE book in the 80s.

Has anyone else noticed the OP is only posting in relation to her dds dancing? Perhaps this isn't about San pro at all, more a stealth boast about getting in to a dance school...?

[MummytoKatie]

Just a thought but a tip for mums with pre teen girls who may want to use tampons - tell them to aim for the small of their back - it never occurred to my mum to tell me (as it is obvious) so I was trying to get them in vertically. Couldn't work out why it was so uncomfortable!

[valiumredhead]

Good tip, when I discovered that things were much easier mummy,I always aimed 'up!' Ouch !

[WafflyVersatile]

The body get them round for the chat anyway! Then report back here.

[valiumredhead]

I watch Dance Moms,I can't see how any of them could wear even a thin towel without it showing.