Does your son know what a period is?

[TheSippyCupSociety]

hey all

just curious here (no judgement either side) but I was never told when I was growing up to expect a period and the same happened to my mum when she was little. So it came as a surprise and I learnt about it and dealt with it myself. I also never had the conversation with my dad. I am now raising two girls and a son and it’s made me wonder how many people don’t talk to their children about it and how many do - but particularly sons (my son is the eldest so around the time we’d have these conversations where as my girls are toddlers).

if your son was with his friends say at the park and one of the girls started her period and was upset or worried, would your son understand enough to be able to support her? Even if it’s just giving her a jumper to tie round her waist if she has leaked?

also if you have a son and didn’t want to talk to him about it I’d love to know why?

as I said absolutely no judgment here either side!

I wasn't told and when we had the talk in school, the class teacher refused to let us out for it. I had no clue what was happening when it came.

So yes all my kids were told the score and sent to the shop for sanitary stuff. My youngest always knows when it's here because I share chocolate with him.

Both of mine know all about periods since I'm vocal about them since they were small. They used my tampons as Nerf ammunitions once and did experiment with putting them in water to see how they swell. My 11 year old even bought me chocolate " so you have it for your period". They will absolutely be lovely with future girl friends about this because they see it as something natural. I even had to tell them that some people are not so open about it so mind who you talk to when my youngest asked our neighbour if she had her period when she declined going swimming with us once😳.

My mother didn't talk to me about periods either, I learnt about them from my friends. My mother was emotionally and physically abusive and disinterested in me from the age of 11/12. When she found out my periods had started, she handed me an opened plastic bag of thick sanitary towels which had sat in a cupboard for years (she'd had a hysterectomy), then she left the room. My only income was a paper round and I used the money to buy my own towels although at first I didn't have a clue as to whether I should be buying "light", "medium" etc. I never asked her questions because I would have been berated for not (magically) knowing the answer. Some mothers aren't loving and nurturing and I've been no contact with mine for 30 years (I'm 62).

Probably not but he has been told many times and we are a very open family but he has SN.

My two year old knows that I sometimes need 'nappies' (and will gleefully point out sanitary pads in the supermarket by shouting mummy "nappies!''). I'll make sure they understand properly as they get older.

I feel quite strongly that periods should be normalised for both boys and girls. The angst that so many girls and even women feel around being on their periods is completely unfair for a normal part of life.

I've been open with my two sons about it, so they're aware. Whether they'd be helpful and supportive...not so sure, but don't they'd be wierded out by it!

My mother wasn't loving and nurturing either. If she were still alive she'd be 105, so I'm not young (71). My mother and I loathed each other and I left home at 16. Nevertheless she did give me sanitary towels, so that's one thing she did right.

There are certain classes I’ve been known to show this to.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tciKSzVZro4

There have been a couple of occasions when a once obnoxious year 8 has miraculously, sheepishly come up to me with period/contraception/pregnancy questions as a year 11/sixth former where it becomes clear they have become a caring, responsible boyfriend. It is one of the greatest joys of my job to feel I may have had a hand in that.

Yes he's 11

My son is 14, I have never hidden my periods from him, and they were explained simply to him, when younger.

Yes, I've explained to my 3 year old DS that women lose blood every month and that it is normal and healthy. He has been in toilet cubicles with me when it's been that time of the month for me, and nobody else with us to leave him with, and I try to be as discreet as I can but he has seen me change my sanitary items and I explain that it's like a nappy for the blood.

My DSs are almost 15 and 13. I don't talk about periods much at home- i am on the mini pill and menopausal so basically have not had them for years. But they both learned about them at school in personal development classes and Ds1 asked me 'what is it like having a period?'. So we talked about it then and I told them what it is like for me and for some other women. They asked if it hurts and I was quite truthful and said for me I was very lucky, it never really hurt- achey perhaps- but for alot of women and girls it's terribly painful. We do talk about these things though- i suffer from depression and I am very open about it and about hormones have affected that for me in the past and how it can affect women and girls. I discuss it as matter of factly as puberty for example- and how body changes are a basic reality etc.

Yes my 7 year old and my 3 year old both know what a period means. I’ve always been very open with them regarding bodies.

Yes, age 6 he found a tampon in the glove compartment of my car, so I told him what it was and why. On the way home, he found the rest of the box and came out with "Mummy, you've got a whole army of these little soldiers!".

But we had a serous chat. Then
school sent home the (excellent)
Newsround Extra report to watch in lockdown (he was Y6, maybe 7, same school). And he has a sister.

He's 16 now. I'm now sure he has any female friends. He'd be very factual if he did, and she was caught short. Factual, but probably impractical and no emotional support at all. We're working on it.

Yes! We have no locked doors, taboo subjects or anything off limits! He's known in basic terms since he was maybe 3 but we've had loads of talks over the years about changes to both boys and girls. I'd be disappointed in myself and consider it a failure to some degree if he didn't know.

I have two sons (17 and 25) and they’ve known about periods since they were old enough to ask questions. We have open and honest relationships and I’ve always told them age appropriate truths about anything they ask about. They’re both confident and happy enough to go and buy sanitary products for their girlfriends if needed to. Unlike DH who at the age of 60 would run a mile if I asked him to buy them for me. Luckily I’m past all that now I’m old 😂

Just asked my 12 year old if he knew - I have told him in the past but wasn’t sure how much he took in.

He gave me a very good explanation.

I’ve taken the approach my mum did and teach in an age appropriate way continuously.

I have ds aged 13&11, yes they both know.

All my GS s know about it - from about age 4. The littlest one asked his Mum is she had PMT one day!

One of my DGSs (12) comes home and talks about which girls are having trouble with their periods.

I have 5 sons and no daughters - I always talked about periods in a matter of fact way since they were small. It shouldn't be a taboo subject 😕 they knew that mum would sometimes have tummy ache and would have a hot water bottle on her tummy and back and they saw sanitary products in the bathroom and knew what they were for. Now they have girlfriends and know when to offer hot water bottles, painkillers and chocolate ☺️

My son is 8 and has known for years now, not least because he’s seen me bleed. He knows what happens during a period and why. There’s absolutely no reason to hide periods from boys - in fact to let them know this is what girls go through is very healthy and takes away the stigma from early on.

I don't think it's too shocking to not realise. If you don't use tampons, you might not know its possible to urinate with one in which would probably be the biggest signal. And the urethra isn't always visible, and even if it is not everyone would go looking.

Of course everyone should know, but I don't think it's something you would necessarily just realise by yourself.

Yep - not least because they took a lot of reminding to leave me alone when I'm in the toilet (thank god, they understood privacy for poos earlier than for anything else), and if they're going to hang around chatting, then they're going to see stuff, and I'm going to have to explain (especially when youngest ran out, then approached me menacingly with a plaster - he was obsessed with applying plasters to any slight wound)

They know that sometimes I'm in some pain, and I just need to get takeaway for dinner and sit with a hot water bottle. They know what it is (to an age appropriate level).

They've learned the 'medical' side of it at school as well

I agree kids are more open about it all now. I think that's good

Yes, my 9 year old knows what a period is. He doesn't know the full details, other than a woman's body bleeds once a month and it's related to her bodies potential to make a baby. He knows it's natural, it's not dirty and it's not dangerous (that last point needed to be explained because he equated blood with injury!).