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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Explaining about periods to a 5 year old boy

10 replies

Kayleigh · 02/03/2004 15:05

My ds1 saw me put a panty liner in my knickers this morning which I do when I am expecting my period. He has seen me do this many times before but never commented. He asked me why I was doing it and before I could answer he got distracted by ds2 and then forgot about it.

What should I tell him if he asks again? I'd like to tell him the truth, or as near to it as possible but am not sure how to go about it or how much information to give him. He finds "boobs" and "knickers" very funny at the moment especially when he is giggling with his friends. He will be 6 in August.

Any ideas ?

OP posts:

Beetroot · 02/03/2004 15:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Jaybee · 02/03/2004 16:04

My ds asked a similar question at around the same age - I believe in answering these questions as simply but properly as possible - I remember saying something like - that every month ladies and teenage girls' bodies prepare themselves for growing a baby by making extra blood. If no baby starts to grow the body gets rid of the blood and that time is called a period and to stop that blood making a mess of ladies knickers they wear a sanitary towel or something to soak up the blood.

lou33 · 02/03/2004 17:47

Mine know that I bleed because it shows me I am not having a baby. Ds1 aged 5 loves all things like panty liners, tampax etc, he's always sneaking in and pinching some to play with. He sticks the liners on his wardrobe door .

Original poster

Kayleigh · 03/03/2004 12:59

LOL Lou33

Your replies have really helped, if he asks again I am going to keep it really simple and follow his lead if he asks for more information.

Love the "ladies tissues" Beetroot

OP posts:

Janh · 03/03/2004 13:09

Lou, they once had a clip like that on You've Been Framed - the mother was at the bedroom door with the camcorder and the child was happily sticking liners-with-wings all over the walls and windows - when she said "what are you doing?" he said "Look! Aeroplanes!"

marthamoo · 03/03/2004 13:19

Ds1 calls them "Mummy's nappies". Perhaps I should provide hinm with a little more info before he starts telling the world that I wet myself.

lou33 · 03/03/2004 15:47

That could be him Jan . He uses tampax as mice too.

Lara2 · 03/03/2004 19:40

I always thought that if they were old enough to ask, they were old enough for an age appropriate answer. However, I did come a bit unstuck recently when DS1 (11) asked (while I was driving) what oral sex was!! I nearly crashed!!! I did my best to give him an answer, but it was SOOOO hard!!!

lou33 · 03/03/2004 19:43

Lara, on occasions like that, I find the best answer is "ask your dad".

outofpractice · 05/03/2004 10:35

My ds aged 4 has also responded well to similar, vague explanations about Mummy's body making a nest for a baby, but when no baby is there, the empty nest comes out. We also had a chat about why eggs are vegetarian (unfertilised eggs from supermarket) because they are empty eggs when the hen has no boyfriend! He now regularly hopes that God will put a baby into my empty nest!

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