How do I go about explaining periods to a 6 year old?

[Miaou]

I'm off to bed just now but thought I would pose this question and return later.

dd2 has discovered my sanitary towels in the bathroom - they don't usually get much use as I usually have a coil fitted, but I had ds 10 days ago so they are more "visible" just now. I noticed earlier today that one of the individual packets was torn open, and I think (yeuch) she has peeked in the bin at a used one (I wrap them up well, but this one was unwrapped - yuk yuk yuk!)

Anyway, I think I'd better talk to her (and dd1) about it all (dd1 is 8) - any tips on what to say/how much to tell them? I suspect they are very innocent about it all so I will be working from a basis of zero knowledge.

TIA.

Ah well, if you've done the babies talk, then the periods one should be a breeze.

Just to reassure you, I think starting at 9 is still relatively unusual -- there's one girl in my dd1's Y 5 class who has started (they're 10 years old), and one who claims to have, but the girls suspect she's making it up.

But there probably will be a couple in a class of 30 who have started by the end of primary school.

A similar thing happened to my mother when my sister, who was probably about six at the time, noticed my mother's tampon string - so my mother, very sensitively, explained about periods and tampons. My sister appeared to take everything in only to reply, "Oh, I see, you swallow it."

I've always been open with the DD's about menstruation (or moonflow! ~ no flaming necessary, I think it's a pleasant term, and there's good reason for it...so ner ).

I think DD1 was under 2 when she first noticed a sanitary pad (well, actually she stuck them all over the bathroom ) and not much later, saw me change one. (So the next time she got hold of a pack, she stuck them all over the bathroom and one in her knickers, for good measure!)

I've always wanted to avoid the 'air of mystery' which sometimes removes the 'voice' of query IME.

I haven't been into the ins and outs, but I have explained that it isn't an injury, that ladies have them each month, etc, all in a positive light.

She is fully accepting, (DD1 is now 3 and DD2 is nearing 1) and it will never be something we can't be open about with each other. ....and there'll never come the time that I have to worry about explanations!

Though, as they get older, the emphasis will be not only on the physical aspects of menstruation but more so about the effects on emotion and how to work with the various cycles involved.............
.........rather than become a raging PMT monster like I was when younger!

I was 9 when I started .I didn't have a clue and manged to hide my first one. I was so embarresed when my Mum explained it

My 8 year old has just started a period. Anyone else had such an early starter? All advice gratefully received!