How to Talk to Your Daughter About Her Period
Plan ahead to have the talk early., Practice what you plan to say with a partner or friend., Have several small informal conversations., Keep it positive!, Visit your local library with your daughter., Be prepared to answer follow up questions.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Plan ahead to have the talk early.
On average, girls begin menstruating between 12 and 13, but some may start much earlier or possibly later.Consider your daughter’s age and tell her casually that you’d like to have a conversation about health and our bodies. -
Step 2: Practice what you plan to say with a partner or friend.
Knowing what information you intend to share ahead of time is important to avoid uncomfortable moments for both of you.
Try asking other friends or family members how they shared the information with their daughters to get a feeling for how your own conversation will go. , It can be intimidating or overwhelming for a young girl to have a big talk about something so important.
Try starting individual conversations with these topics:“Inside a girl’s body are parts that help her grow a baby.” “Women's bodies work on cycle called the menstrual cycle which takes about 28 days.” "A woman's body takes the steps to grow a baby each month, even when she isn't ready to have a baby yet.
This causes a woman to have a period that causes her to bleed." “Even though a period causes bleeding, there are ways to keep clean during your period.
Some of the ways are with pads or tampons."
It is important to paint a positive picture of menstruation so your daughter won’t be scared about starting.
If a mom is constantly referring to your period as “the curse” or in another negative way, her daughter might have anxiety about starting hers.
Stressing that menstruating is a wonderful, natural experience all women share will help her recognize that it is simply the next step in becoming a woman. , Help her feel comfortable knowing that puberty and sex are not taboo topics by showing her books in the library.Seek out books on puberty such as Whats the Big Secret by Dr.
Laurie Krasney Brown & Marc Brown The Care and Keeping of You by The American Girl Co. , It is okay if you don’t know all the answers.
Just look them up together and show your daughter you are interested in learning too.
There are many books and resources available out there.
A few helpful websites are http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/puberty/print_books.html http://www.girlshealth.gov/body/period/cycle.html -
Step 3: Have several small informal conversations.
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Step 4: Keep it positive!
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Step 5: Visit your local library with your daughter.
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Step 6: Be prepared to answer follow up questions.
Detailed Guide
On average, girls begin menstruating between 12 and 13, but some may start much earlier or possibly later.Consider your daughter’s age and tell her casually that you’d like to have a conversation about health and our bodies.
Knowing what information you intend to share ahead of time is important to avoid uncomfortable moments for both of you.
Try asking other friends or family members how they shared the information with their daughters to get a feeling for how your own conversation will go. , It can be intimidating or overwhelming for a young girl to have a big talk about something so important.
Try starting individual conversations with these topics:“Inside a girl’s body are parts that help her grow a baby.” “Women's bodies work on cycle called the menstrual cycle which takes about 28 days.” "A woman's body takes the steps to grow a baby each month, even when she isn't ready to have a baby yet.
This causes a woman to have a period that causes her to bleed." “Even though a period causes bleeding, there are ways to keep clean during your period.
Some of the ways are with pads or tampons."
It is important to paint a positive picture of menstruation so your daughter won’t be scared about starting.
If a mom is constantly referring to your period as “the curse” or in another negative way, her daughter might have anxiety about starting hers.
Stressing that menstruating is a wonderful, natural experience all women share will help her recognize that it is simply the next step in becoming a woman. , Help her feel comfortable knowing that puberty and sex are not taboo topics by showing her books in the library.Seek out books on puberty such as Whats the Big Secret by Dr.
Laurie Krasney Brown & Marc Brown The Care and Keeping of You by The American Girl Co. , It is okay if you don’t know all the answers.
Just look them up together and show your daughter you are interested in learning too.
There are many books and resources available out there.
A few helpful websites are http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/puberty/print_books.html http://www.girlshealth.gov/body/period/cycle.html
About the Author
Theresa Mendoza
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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