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Original poster

Would you tell your eight year old dd about periods if she asked you lots of questions?

40 replies

sparkler · 14/07/2007 00:14

DD was asking loads of questions about babies, what happens if you don't have babies etc and we ended up getting into the subject of periods. I was honest with her and answered her questions as honestly as I could and she seemed fine with that.
Have you told a dd as young this?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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PinkMartini · 14/07/2007 00:20

My mum didn't tell me but I found out from my friends (with a lot of conjecture and wide eyes thrown in) and wish my mum had done it tbh.

ApuNahasapeemapetilon · 14/07/2007 00:21

i had a baby when my dd was 8 and she was spared none of it! imo its better the younger they are

floo · 14/07/2007 00:22

Yes, my dd is now 12 but has always been very precocious. When quizzed I have always been honest but very basic until about the age of 10, then I was more specfic especially as chldren are starting their periods earlier.

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TippiHedren · 14/07/2007 00:23

Not yet but keep meaning to get round to it. (DD also 8, nearly9)

Leati · 14/07/2007 00:30

I didn't think it was appropriate to discuss "sex" things with my boys because I thought they were to young. Well apparently they were discussing it with thier friends. One night we are at a restuarant of all places and they start asking me the funniest questions.
I learned something that night...if I don't explain it... they are going to come to some really strange conclusions.

My suggestion explain it in the most child edited way that you can.

OldieMum · 14/07/2007 00:33

DD is 4 and knows about periods. She saw my tampax and asked about them. The conversation was short, simple and matter-of-fact. She didn't seem to think it was a big deal.

GryffindorGHOSTY · 14/07/2007 05:36

My DD is only 3 and has never asked any questions but yes, in answer to the OP, I would tell an 8 year old if she asked questions. I think I may even tell her if she didn't ask questions.
Some girls start their periods as young as 9 so it would be sad if hers started and she didn't know what was happening to her or indeed if one of her friends started and told her ...
I don't know if things have changed but when I was teaching we gave a 'How our bodies change' type talk to all girls in Year 5 (so 9 going on 10). Most of them knew about puberty and periods but every year there were one or two that had NO IDEA about what was in store for them as they got older and to be honest I found that really shocking. One year a girl who had been in my class in Year 4 came to see me in tears ... she had just had 'the talk' and came to ask me if it was true She was horrified.

BTW ... the parents all knew that this was on the curriculum and had to give permission for their daughters to attend the session.

Othersideofthechannel · 14/07/2007 05:41

My mum told me all about periods when I was 8 or 9.

popsycal · 14/07/2007 06:15

I think 8 is definitely old enough to know. I would have answered questions that she asked

oxocube · 14/07/2007 06:20

Not too young. DD had just turned 9 when she asked. Has known how babies are made for a few years now.

meemar · 14/07/2007 06:31

Yes, you really should tell her if she wants to know - my mum was very private and embarrassed about stuff like this and I wished she had discussed it with me.

She gave me a book to read when I was about 10, but it was obvious that I was just meant to read it and not ask her any questions

I vowed if I ever had a daughter I was going to be so much more open.

PotterCandles · 14/07/2007 06:40

I was 7 when my sister was born, so asked a lot of questions around then. I certainly knew about periods by the age of 8. I would always answer a child's questions about sex and periods truthfully, no matter what their age, but not give them any extra info other than the bare bones of exactly what they have asked for IYSWIM until they were about 7 or 8.

clapton · 14/07/2007 06:59

I was probably aged 8 or 9 when my mum told me about periods. We then had a talk in class , but I was so glad I had a little information beforehand.

I think when children ask questions answer honestly, we all know our own kids and how much truth and fact they can handle.

WideWebWitch · 14/07/2007 07:49

yes, I would, absolutely

perpetuaphoenixfire · 14/07/2007 07:52

yes, definately. 2 of my friends started their periods at 8

Biglips · 14/07/2007 07:52

yes....without a doubt!..

harpsichordcuddler · 14/07/2007 07:53

good grief yes, of course. my niece started her periods at nine. it isn't uncommon.
I n't really understand why you wouldn't tell her tbh

FirenzeandZooey · 14/07/2007 07:54

Yes of course. Ds knows and he is 4.

chocolateteapot · 14/07/2007 07:57

Yes defintely and DD (8) knows a little bit about them as she asked a couple of years ago.

LoveAngel · 14/07/2007 08:10

Absolutely. I was about this age when I heard the word at school and asked my mum very loudly in a shop what a period was :-) She told me that evening in quite a frank way, then got me some books about it out of the library. I think its important that girls find this out as soon as they're showing signs of readiness (curiosity is the main one). Girls are starting their periods earlier and earlier these days, and it would be awful for a girl to get her period and not understand what was going on. I wasn't frightejed or grossed out by what my mum told me, either - I was excited and couldn't wait to get mine, as it meant I was growing up!

MissGrissindor · 14/07/2007 08:46

I would definitely tell my dd at that age. I had quite a few friends who started their periods when they were 10, so it's better they are prepared for it and know what's happening to them.

Biglips · 14/07/2007 09:00

can i just say ...OMG!!!.....8 or 10 yrs old starting periods!!!! Are they getting younger to have them??.... as i was 11.
its scary as ive got a 8 yrs old SD who cud start periods at any time . She seems to be too young to have them!

cece · 14/07/2007 09:25

My friend's nine year old started her periods last week.

My 6 year old knows about them already. She even asked her teacher if she bleeds every month!

ChasingSquirrels · 14/07/2007 09:26

my 4yo ds knows, so yes I would definately have told an 8yo dd in the situiation you describe.

MarsLady · 14/07/2007 09:29

Yes!

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