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

Lots of girls will start their periods in Year 6 or seven, I would hardly call periods am adult matter.

I am intrigued that your daughter will wear a leotard every day. Makes me think of Bonnie Langford

I think girls especially need to know about periods in year 6. I think year 5 (9/10 year olds) is very young to start periods though.

I started my periods when I was 10. Thank goodness my mother had the sense to tell me the year before what it was all about.

But Holly, I started my periods in yr7 and I was by no means the first of my year group, how can periods be "adult matters" if girls as young as 9 and 10 have them and the average age to start your period is 12?

Imagine being a girl who needs the bigger ones but was given a pack which only contained lovely delicate girly petite samples. She'd maybe feel pretty crap.

I'm more annoyed about the marketing in schools.

When I was a teen the PE teacher told us if we got caught out we could go to the staff room and ask for a 'bunny' from a female teacher who would then bring the housebrick to you wrapped in paper hand towels so the male teachers would never guess what that was all about.

Cross post with just about everyone - sorry!

Another one here who has never used tampons. Would have been in hell with leotards (not that I would ever have worn those blasted things either).

year 7 didn't exist when I started my periods, I'm that old

Arnt the first couple of periods supposed to be very light?

Not in my case. It was as though the gates of hell had opened!

What are "adult size" tampons?

Periods are different for every woman are they not? I recall my first being anything but very light.

I thought you were going to say they'd put condoms and a morning after pill in the pack.

YABU.

I have never heard of teen period products.

I was using super flow tampons from my second period at 11.

Forgot to say- I was ten.

I take my average age comment back too... I quickly googled and misread, it says "the average girl" not the average age.

You sound like my mother who assured me that I would only need a pantyliner at first. Possibly two a day. In fact I had nearly a year of 10 day long, heavy periods every two weeks from the age of 11. A fact she could never get her head around - but she banned tampons which meant no sport, no swimming no running for the bus

Everyone is different

I don't understand what you're objecting to, really. Especially if you've already got her things yourself.

And it's certainly not too young - possibly too late for some of the girls. Another ten year old starter here.

Ywnbu to think the school should have provided Lil Lets instead of Tampax though.

I would agree with you on that score. Have only ever used Tampax in times of dire need.

I don't know about her friends but no, dd didnt know what to do with them. She's read the leaflet plus the one I gave her and I went through a few things with her.

She's going to a dance school in September but currently dances after school 4 days a week at the moment.

Pictures I started periods when I was 15 and they were not light. They were heavily than they are now.

Surely the samples should be ones they can actually use when they very first start

I don't know how large the average y6 girl is or how big the avg girl is when she starts.

I do see that some of DD's best mates in y6 are plump, 5' tall and not yet started, so when they do start they may well need more than slim dainty sanitary wear. Unless the school nurse is going to have separate packs for the petite vs. tall+plump, I think a variety of sizes is the only way to go.

Ten years old is not unusual nowadays to be starting periods - girls are entering puberty earlier.

OP - it was a free sample. Its Meant to give an overview of choices from one company, not a comprehensive range of all products on offer.
If it bothers you so much why don't you sort a few things out for your daughter.

dd got same pack recently in year 7, if already too late for some of her peers. Some girls unfortunately will only get access to basics that way. I have bought a selection for when the time comes, although she doesn't really want to discuss it further now and given her size could be someway off yet anyway.

oh and some of dd's peers are bigger than me so no way are they an inappropriate size.

I was 9 when mine started and having to use normal size pads as they were so heavy
Was paranoid about leaking and the best advice someone gave me was 2 pairs of knickers, I felt more secure like that
Surely better to give standard size stuff out than have a girl panic if she uses a teen pad and thinks she is abnormal if her period is too heavy for it?