Periods - what age is best to explain to child

[2kidswelshmum]

What age is appropriate to explain periods/menstrual cycle to daughter?

I have a 7 year old daughter and a 5 year old son. In the swimming pool changing room bathroom today they saw the free period products on the sink and asked what they are.

I gave a non committal answer in that moment because I wanted more time to think how I respond, and also we were running a bit late for their lesson.

I figure there’s no reason why I can’t tell them - it’s part of life etc. I’m just not sure of the best way to phrase it.

And I’m leaning towards tailoring the answer per child, giving my seven year old daughter a bit more info…?

How strange.

No, the thread has been talking about at home and also public toilets

Why? Are they used much these days?

Let the poor childminder change her tampon at home without an audience.
Honestly, no child will be traumatised.

My children have seen my periods (no privacy as a mum lol) so we have already talked about them? Have you not?

I made the mistake of comparing a sanitary towel to “like a nappy” and my 6 yo son then told his friend I wear nappies 🤣🤣

And if she can’t when she is out and about?

And what if she can when she's at home?

I've been childminding for about 10 years and if a parent told me I must never shut the bathroom door on their child to change a tampon in peace I'd think they were crazy 😂

My ds said similar when he was the same age 🤣 He also told his mate I needed big thick nappies 🙈🤣

Nobody is asking you to - how strange you think that. What if you were out and about with your own child? Stop making up scenarios to defend the fact that you a prude despite being born relatively recently. Women and girls have periods. End of. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Children should be raised knowing about such things so it’s like they have always known.
I work in primary schools and it never fails to shock me that parents don’t discuss this stuff with their kids.

I remember having sex ed in year 4 (age 9) and year 6 (age 11) then in an all girls secondary school it was all about periods. 7 might be a good age to gently broach the subject on an intial level with your daughter, don't go into too much detail and try not to scare her, I knew one or two girls who started in year 5 (age 10) so it's really only a few years away and its important that your daughter feels she can come to you with any questions she might have about growing up.

I find it really interesting that as adults, we categorise information, assigning it greater or lesser importance and seriousness. For children, everything is one big, glorious jumble. My daughter was three and we were sitting together at the table when she said: 'I know I grew in your tummy but how did I get there?' I explained in one factual sentence, she looked interested then asked if she could have another biscuit. So telling your two DC about periods may be less significant to them at the moment than it feels to you.

Is it prudish to want to use the toilet alone?
I find your whole outlook really odd.
It's definitely ok to want privacy in the toilet in my opinion and I have told my children that.
Even children should have their privacy and dignity respected while toileting.

Let’s normalise periods people. Just like we potty train our kids let’s teach them about periods. There is nothing shameful nor dirty about periods. Children shouldn’t be left ignorant about them.
Goodnight 🤣

There's nothing shameful or dirty about any bodily function - that doesn't mean it's not private.

You find it odd teaching children about normal bodily functions odd. That’s ok. I find your opinion odd too. We can go exist like this 😀
Thankfully even my mother born in the 40s was more enlightened than you.

Maybe if you’re on birth control that stops periods?

So you told your children about periods at a young age when you told them about how babies are made in which case we are in full agreement with each other. And obviously at the same time snd throughout their childhood is discussion about privacy and boundaries - that’s clear for everyone.

No, I find it odd that you insist women have to take children to the toilet with them.

I'm not sure on exact ages, but I never hid sanitary products because it was all hush hush when I was growing up (I learned at school in P7), then my kids Dad was always weird about it as well so I didn't want to either my daughters or sons thinking it was something shameful.

When they asked 'whats that for' I told them. They were all very young and I said that ladies have some blood that comes out of their private parts sometimes, but it doesn't hurt and it is just our body's way of telling us that we don't have a baby in our tummy.

As they got older I gave more detail. I don't think 5 and 7 is too young at all, mine definitely asked before then. I also showed my girls how to put pads on young just in case they started their periods early.

Their Dad is still weird about it! If our DD needs something picked up when she's at his house one of my son's will do it because he won't.

I’m not insisting anything. I am normalising that for some women there are no other options and that is ok.

You have insisted exactly that 🤔you said children would be crying, banging at the bathroom door if not taken in.

That’s the thing isn’t it? Your dd should be able to ask her dad. Sad that she can’t. But good on your ds for realising it’s a normal thing and helping his sister out.

Ok. 🤣

I'm surprised some women have never had to take a child into the toilet with them! Did they leave toddlers unattended to use the loo when out the house?! Or did they not leave the house?

We started reading the age leveled Its Not the Stork book series at age 3. Highly recommend.