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…?

My younger DD used a mooncup at a younger age than that, as she didn’t like the feel of pads/period pants and had seen my mooncup when she was smaller. She liked the convenience of the mooncup, but she couldn’t quite get it to work reliably (ie not leak a little) and that freaked her out. She now uses tampons & period pants as back up.

Older DD uses pads/period pants but will use tampons when swimming.

I switched to tampons as soon as I knew they were an option, then a mooncup in later years (mirena coil now means no need for either) - I hate pads!

Ah perfect, thank you I’ll take a look. Yes I’m not quite ready to delve into the specifics of sex with them yet- all they know is that daddy gives a seed for mummy’s egg in the womb and that’s where the baby grows.

Everyone is different- I’ll give my daughter all the info when she starts her period and let her make her own mind up. I’ve used everything under the sun over the years ❤️

I've got two kids who have always come into the toilet with me when we're out but somehow I have never had to change a tampon in front of them....I’ve genuinely never given it any thought until now. Maybe I'm blessed with a lighter flow! They're aware that I have them, they're out on display in the bathroom.

I totally get where you're coming from op, I think I need to have a chat with my DD (6) at some point. DS is 9 and has learned all about it at school, we have discussed his PSHE lessons at home. I don't consider it "leaving basic parenting" to school (as some one up thread put it) It was bought up at school, he mentioned it at home, we discussed it and everything was fine. Not a big deal.

Yeah I agree, I’ve just not been asked the question until now. And given my kids personalities I just know a kid appropriate book will help me out with their endless questions 😆

I was so period positive for DD that DS became upset that he wouldn't have them.

I just told them something along the lines of that mummy's body makes an tiny egg every month that could be a baby, but if it's not, it comes out with some blood. And answered any questions appropriately for their ages.

I think that’s the thing. I didn’t have periods, so my kids never asked. Why would they? So it did involve me making a conscious effort to talk to them about it, and I also used a book to help!

Mine were never in the toilet with me but I explained what periods were from pre-school age.

Maybe. I’m just a mother trying to get it right and do the best I can. Maybe I’m overthinking it, I just came on here for support or insight from other supportive mums. I find it interesting that this thread has mainly turned into a bun fight about who’s more prudish 🫣 we are all just trying to be good mums/parents/carers.

This has come up because my child asked a question at the wrong moment for an answer (late for a swim lesson in the swim changing room). I forgot about it until the evening when she was asleep so I popped on her just for insight.

makes perfect sense! There are no period products really in our house for them to see and ask questions. We have separate bathrooms to them and I use moon cups and reusable period pants - I think that’s why they’ve not asked. Now they have, I’m telling them ❤️

Thank you - yeah I think the same ❤️ they ask, I tell. I saw that comment and didn’t agree with it either. It’s not that deep, tell them when they ask in enough time so it’s normal, not scary and they know before they start their period 🤷‍♀️

I made the comment about leaving basic parenting to the school because another poster literally said they left period talk to the school. As you didn’t say that then my comment wasn’t aimed at you.

I’ve always just answered honestly and factually whenever it has come up so my 7 year old already has an idea. I think they start discussing it with children in school in year 4 so I guess I’ll be happy to back it up with more in depth info or books etc then.

I’ve never really viewed it as something inappropriate for a child to know as it’s just a bodily function of a woman.

When they ask is the appropriate time, or before they ask if they get to 7/8 and haven't already asked!

Give over 🤨 why would a 2 year old want to talk about periods?
Let them be children and get the lego out!!

This. What “comes up naturally” will be different for different families. My DS knows I take a pill every day because we don’t want another baby. He doesn’t know about periods (he’s 7) because I don’t have them. So I will have to “tell him” or “have a chat” about it, or wait for it to come up and school when he’ll mention it at home too.

As I was flooding each month, DD knew about them as soon as she was able to ask why mummy has blood in her knickers/trousers/bedsheets. And my pads were always in the bathroom cabinet for easy access so she had seen them all the times and also saw me buying them.

She was 6 when she asked how a baby is made and I told her the proper biological answer.

5+7 are actually quite old I think.

You should definitely be normalising it at that age, surprised it hasn’t come up before. My daughter usually comes to the toilet with me anyway so if I have my period I’ll just say that to her. Shes nearly 2.

I drip fed information like this to my kids. I think I first mentioned it about 2years old so by 7 they had a very good understanding of all the hormones involved, ovulation, period products etc.
I would say you need to get a bit of a move on now for 5 & 7.

As an aside I talked to my kids about all sorts of things since they could talk but also they’ve never actually seen me change a tampon or anything. It just would never occur to me to do that. So it’s totally possible to have to bring this up specifically instead of naturally. Once my daughter was old enough to need more specific info I made sure to mention it and buy stuff and leave stuff sitting out to make it no big deal.

Just say 'most women and older girls get periods every month. It's perfectly natural and usually lasts about a week. We use these (show towels, tampon etc). It just means a little blood comes out of your vagina.' Then let them ask questions and touch the products.

I suppose it could lead into asking about reproduction and that does depend on what they already know. If you don't want to go into too much detail if they say 'why do we get periods' you could just say it's just how the human body works!

Please do tell your children as early as possible and make this as normal as possible, for boys and girls. I started my periods at 10 and thought I was dying. My nan explained it was 'something that happened to women' and I had to sneak into the chemists to buy 'ladies things'. We had no information at my all girls school and there was an air of.mystery even shame about it especially around games days. My mum never mentioned it! Thank goodness things have changed and we even have adverts on TV ! I can't remember when I knew exactly what periods meant but it's a wonder girls in my generation are not all neurotic!

LOL, my now nearly 8yo was an expert on periods, tampons and menstrual cycles at age 3/4. And then last night he was utterly baffled by a Bodyform advert on YouTube, and looked at me blankly when I said they were something women used when they had periods.

I think the information has fallen out of his little head somehow.

My DS is 4 and has always known. I never sat him down to chat about it or anything it just naturally came up when he was giving me no personal space in the bathroom etc

Same here. My mum gave me a leaflet about periods when I was 14. My daughter has known since she could talk and asked me why I was bleeding when we were in a public loo.