How To Explain Periods & Puberty To Your Daughter
Puberty, with its physical and emotional changes, can be a rollercoaster ride for girls, so it’s important to have honest and open conversations. How you explain puberty to your daughter will set the tone for the next few years (No pressure!).
If you think it’s time to explain puberty to your daughter and have the "period talk," follow these tips.
Starting Talk Early
As soon as you notice the first signs of puberty, start having regular talks to help your daughter understand the changes she’s experiencing & how to cope.
If you’ve noticed signs of vaginal discharge in her underwear, reassure her that it’s completely normal. Talk to her about using pantyliners, which can help her feel fresh all day long. This is also the perfect time to explain periods to a child.
9 Signs She’s Hitting Puberty
Puberty usually starts between 9 and 13 years old. During this time, your daughter will experience most or all of these changes:
Developing
breasts
Body hair
growth
Vaginal
discharge
Weight
gain
Greasier
hair
Mood
swings
Pimples/
acne
Sweating/
body odor
Broadening of
the hips and
thighs
Reassure her that she shouldn’t be self-conscious as all her friends are going through these changes – or will be soon!
If she hasn’t shown any of the signs of starting puberty by the age of 13, it’s a good idea to speak to your OBGYN for advice.
Be Matter of Fact
Nothing is guaranteed to make her toes curl more than you tiptoeing round the subject.
When starting to explain puberty, avoid euphemisms. Using phrases like ‘foof’ or ‘front bottom’, or replacing words like ‘period’ with ‘time of the month’, can send out subtle messages that periods are something to be embarrassed about.
Be clear that puberty is something that everyone goes through – moms, dads and brothers included!
Use Tools to Help
If you’re worried about discussing puberty or need help on how to explain periods to a child, there are plenty of tools you can use:
Take our Puberty & Period Myths Busted Quiz together
Share Your Experiences
Research has shown that when a mother relays her own experiences to help explain puberty, it gives her daughter a framework with which to understand the world.
It doesn’t matter if your story is about something difficult, such as feeling embarrassed because of your period in the school changing rooms. As long as there’s a positive resolution, your experiences can provide valuable lessons, and help her feel like she can talk to you.
Write her a note
Your daughter – or even you – may feel awkward discussing her first period. Rather than having to explain periods to a child straight off the bat, open up the conversation by writing a note and leaving it somewhere she can find it. You could try something like:
The important thing is that it’s written in a tone that sounds like you.
The more you can encourage everyone in the household to be open about puberty and periods, the better.
• Send Dad to pick up pads or tampons from the store, or ask your son to put your period products in the bathroom when unpacking the shopping.
• Mention to other members of the family that you have your period so that your daughter understands that periods are not a taboo subject.
Once you’ve mastered the art of how to explain puberty, it’s time to make sure she’s fully prepared for her period:
Do a show-and-tell
Talk to her about the range of period products on offer – different sizes and shapes of pads, tampons with and without applicators, menstrual cups, and period underwear – and show her what you use.
Discuss her needs
Talk about which products she would like to try. Most girls like to start with pads. Suggest she tries Always Radiant Teen pads, they are made with FlexFoam so they can be thin and flexible without skipping out on protection. Help her use the Always My Fit chart (below) to find the perfect pad to suit her.
Pack a first-period kit
Buy her a pouch to put her products in so that she can carry it in her school bag and be ready for her first period. Pack a range of products of different sizes and absorbencies, and include items like spare underwear and hand sanitizer.
The Always My Fit sizing chart can be found on the top of all Always’ pad packages and the numbered size is found on the front. The better it fits, the better it protects!
More info
Take our Puberty & Period Myths Busted Quiz together
