aibu to have told my dd about periods?

[xmasadsboohiss]

so my little one is almost ten an has suddenly started developing breast buds and is complaining about feeling unwell with stomach ache etc. so rather than have her frightened if it happens, i told her tonight what a period was - in that it's blood every month but no more detail than that. now i feel awful because she got a bit upset. is it better for them to know? hate the idea of her being frightened by blood without knowing what it is.

[Shadow666]

Also, yes find a cute little zip-up pouch and put a small pack of wipes and some pads in for her to take to school. Maybe a spare pair of pants too.

[speakout]

My 5 year olds have known about periods since they were 2. Mainly because they would follow me to the toilet and saw the blood, the truth was easier for them, than worrying about me bleeding.

Hubris- same here.
My toddlers ( boy and girl) would watch me change blood soaked pads, It was no big deal to them.They have grown up with the idea as simply being part of life.

[scottishretreat]

My mum never talked about these things, but I heard at school (unless you've specifically refused, she has probably seen some gentle intro films on all aspects of reproduction there too).
I got upset when my mum decided to have a talk with me (was about 11) because I felt awkward because she was clearly uneasy, and it seemed an unpleasant thing because she wasn't comfortable (she was trying to be comforting and chatty, and she wasn't normally that way, it was alarming!).

It definitely wasn't the information that upset me, I already knew all of that - your DD may just be uncomfortable because you don't normally talk about these things?

[differentnameforthis]

No one was comparing it to not feeding your children Op didn't say that anyone had compared it to her not feeding her kids. She said she felt like she had said that! because of the way everyone reacted towards her.

You are not reading the op's comments
You're being ridiculous.

[holdthewine]

Scottishretreat that’s exactly how I felt with my DM who was flushed and awkward and I knew it all from school already (or thought I did though lots of misinformation so foreknowledge would have been better!)

Also, OP all kids are different and one of my DDs was cringe makingly embarrassed about all things bodily from about 7. All the other 4 DC were open but she always wanted to be private and shut the bathroom door and we had to let her be her. She used to say did I have to be so bloody open. You can’t win as a parent! You just have to go with the flow no pun intended!

[Purplepixiedust]

Another vote for the book ‘What’s happening to me’. They do a boys and girls version. My son has it and it’s brilliant. He found it really helpful to pull together the information he had picked up over the years. I bought it last year when he was 10. It covers all aspects of puberty.