What to tell a 6 year old about periods?

[pregatlast]

My 6 and a half year old daughter is becoming increasingly obsessed with my tampons in the bathroom cupboard! I have told her that they are things that ladies need and girls need with they are much bigger. She says she is a big girl so I need to tell her what they are for. I said that I'd tell her when her little sister wasn't around and she hasn't asked again since - but she will!!!

My mum was never (and still isn't) very open and honest with me and never really talked to me about growing up, or periods or sex etc, I learnt it all from a book, so I want to be open and honest with my daughter - but at 6, she doesn't really need to know the ins and outs of periods.

Does anyone have any experience of this? What/how much do I tell her?

Any advice appreciated! Thanks

 

[Teri7489]

Be honest, but be as honest as you are comfortable with. There's little point sitting embarrassed trying to explain something as she will sense that, same as theres no point using silly words. The reasons she's pressing the issue is because she knows you are hiding something from her. Could try simply telling her they are for ladies who have a time each month when they bleed from (use whichever word for vagina you feel appropriate for your child) . It helps them to stay clean. She doesn't need to know any more than that just now but it's a starting point for when she's older so it's not so scary when she does need to know about them x

 

[ClairAye]

My 5 y/o son asked after seeing my cup. I just told him that grown up women bleed from their vagina and it catches the blood. He asked if it would happen to him. He's not asked about it again and was satisfied with the answer.

 

[babycrazy1706]

My son knows that pads go in knickers but he has no clue what they are for, he hasn't asked yet.
I'd tell your daughter that inside a mummy's tummy is a soft cushion for a baby to lie on but if the mummy isn't ready to have a baby, the cushion isn't needed so it comes out as a little bit of blood every month and the tampons catch it. Simply biology in an easy to understand explanation xx

 

[CaptainMummy]

I've told my daughter (after avoiding it for too long and her forcing an answer out of me!) that when you are older (and your body is ready to make a baby) every month for a few days, you bleed down there and they are to stop the blood from going on your pants. Made sure to tell her that its only for a few days so not all the time. She replied something like 'ugh, I don't want to grow up' and that was that lol.

 

[Rags]

I explained to my son (when he was 6) that each month a women's body gets ready in case it needs to grow a baby and that it does this by making a lining in her womb, sort of like a nest. When there isn't a baby there the lining comes out of the women and her body starts making a fresh one ready for the next month.

I realise this might not be the way to go with your daughter though. My son first asked about babies when he was two and a half and I decided to jump straight in and tell him the truth - in language he could understand: it started with babies are made inside a women when two seeds bump together. Over the next while I answered any questions as they arose - where do the seeds come from? 'One is in the women from when she is made, the other comes from a man'. By the time he was three he knew a huge amount and since then when he asks I've just updated the language and added in the specifics.

At 6 in Scotland your daughter should already be doing stuff in school about health and well being? This would normally include the beginnings of discussions about relationships and specific words relating to them. I know DS is in P3 at a Catholic school and each year, round about May, since P1, we are sent home a list of words that will be used in class to make parents aware of what will be coming up and to encourage then to use them at home too. When the list came out last year (DS in P2) he already understood the words on all of the year group lists - from P1 to 7.

 

[Witchrose]

My son is almost three. He's seen my cup, and was curious. I told him that females go through a bodily cleansing once a month. That simple answer satisfied him, and he hasn't asked since. But when he does, I will continue giving him more and more in-depth, fact-based information.

I want him to be knowledgeable and respectful of what women go through.

It is a totally normal thing that all women go through. Nothing to be kept hidden or ashamed about in anyway.

 

[CaptainMummy]

I explained to my son (when he was 6) that each month a women's body gets ready in case it needs to grow a baby and that it does this by making a lining in her womb, sort of like a nest. When there isn't a baby there the lining comes out of the women and her body starts making a fresh one ready for the next month.

I realise this might not be the way to go with your daughter though. My son first asked about babies when he was two and a half and I decided to jump straight in and tell him the truth - in language he could understand: it started with babies are made inside a women when two seeds bump together. Over the next while I answered any questions as they arose - where do the seeds come from? 'One is in the women from when she is made, the other comes from a man'. By the time he was three he knew a huge amount and since then when he asks I've just updated the language and added in the specifics.

At 6 in Scotland your daughter should already be doing stuff in school about health and well being? This would normally include the beginnings of discussions about relationships and specific words relating to them. I know DS is in P3 at a Catholic school and each year, round about May, since P1, we are sent home a list of words that will be used in class to make parents aware of what will be coming up and to encourage then to use them at home too. When the list came out last year (DS in P2) he already understood the words on all of the year group lists - from P1 to 7.

I'm in Scotland and my daughter is p3... I'm pretty sure she hasn't been taught anything like that? Maybe she has and I just don't know, but I don't thin so.

 

[red_head]

I’d be totally open and honest about it. Try hard not to be embarrassed and be really clear about things - you don’t want her to think it’s anything shameful or dirty or embarrassing - it’s just something every woman goes through, part of the journey of growing up. Some girls start their periods at 8, and you don’t want it to be a shock or scary.
When I found my mums pads and tampons when I was a kid, I had seen them on an advert... queue me going downstairs ready for nursery when it was pouring, with then stuck all over me and my clothes, and announcing to my family they’d keep me ‘fresh and dry all day’!! My dad actually told that story at my wedding... now that’s embarrassing!

 

[Rags]

I explained to my son (when he was 6) that each month a women's body gets ready in case it needs to grow a baby and that it does this by making a lining in her womb, sort of like a nest. When there isn't a baby there the lining comes out of the women and her body starts making a fresh one ready for the next month.

I realise this might not be the way to go with your daughter though. My son first asked about babies when he was two and a half and I decided to jump straight in and tell him the truth - in language he could understand: it started with babies are made inside a women when two seeds bump together. Over the next while I answered any questions as they arose - where do the seeds come from? 'One is in the women from when she is made, the other comes from a man'. By the time he was three he knew a huge amount and since then when he asks I've just updated the language and added in the specifics.

At 6 in Scotland your daughter should already be doing stuff in school about health and well being? This would normally include the beginnings of discussions about relationships and specific words relating to them. I know DS is in P3 at a Catholic school and each year, round about May, since P1, we are sent home a list of words that will be used in class to make parents aware of what will be coming up and to encourage then to use them at home too. When the list came out last year (DS in P2) he already understood the words on all of the year group lists - from P1 to 7.

I'm in Scotland and my daughter is p3... I'm pretty sure she hasn't been taught anything like that? Maybe she has and I just don't know, but I don't thin so.

They start off bit by bit. I can't find a copy of the list they gave us out but it was something like; p1 things like, love, hugs, boy, girl, health visitor, breast feeding. P2 continued with this idea but added gender, penis, vagina... and so it build up through the primaries. P6 (which my niece was in) covered all the menstruation, wet dream etc stuff.

As I said my Ds already knows all of this, and more. It's a step by step path that's meant to be taught in all schools. The Catholic schools have branded it 'Gods loving plan' and it gets taught under that umbrella.

 

[pregatlast]

Thanks everyone. I've not had any info from the school (non denominational) but have parents night coming up soon so might ask actually, just out of interest.
I feel much more prepared now for the next time she asks me about them!

 

[Eleanor ace]

I explained to my son (when he was 6) that each month a women's body gets ready in case it needs to grow a baby and that it does this by making a lining in her womb, sort of like a nest. When there isn't a baby there the lining comes out of the women and her body starts making a fresh one ready for the next month.

This is how I explained it to my older 2 (6.5 & 4.5). They know that babies (usually) come out of a woman's vagina so they figured that that's where tampons must go when I explained the above, but DS was stumped about what women did with sanitary towels . DS asked whether it hurts and if it's scary, I explained that it's not scary because we're not bleeding because we're injured and it's natural and that it can give you tummy ache but women can use hot water bottles or take medicine to feel better (I didn't want to make DD dread them!).

My mum didn't really talk about periods with me and starting my period felt like such a big deal (in a bad way, I wasn't ready and felt really emotional about it), I'd really like to make it common knowledge for my girls (and DS, so that he isn't embarrassed about it and doesn't embarrass them) so that they can be prepared and not overwhelmed.

 

[SarahBear]

My 6 and a half year old daughter is becoming increasingly obsessed with my tampons in the bathroom cupboard! I have told her that they are things that ladies need and girls need with they are much bigger. She says she is a big girl so I need to tell her what they are for. I said that I'd tell her when her little sister wasn't around and she hasn't asked again since - but she will!!!

My mum was never (and still isn't) very open and honest with me and never really talked to me about growing up, or periods or sex etc, I learnt it all from a book, so I want to be open and honest with my daughter - but at 6, she doesn't really need to know the ins and outs of periods.

Does anyone have any experience of this? What/how much do I tell her?

Any advice appreciated! Thanks

"Every month a woman's body gets ready for her to get pregnant. But do women get pregnant every month? No. That would be ridiculous. So when the woman doesn't get pregnant, her body has extra stuff to get rid of. It's bloody and tampons are one way women can catch the blood so it doesn't get on their clothes."

 

[kbwebb]

My DD is four and saw me a few times when changing my sanitary towel, I simply explained that grown up ladies some times bleed from their vagina and that it doesn't hurt or mean that i need to see a DR and when shes a grown up she will bleed sometimes too. i didnt feel that i needed to explain how it relates to babies yet. (she was very concerned and thought i was hurt at first!)

 

[wildflower79]

My DD has been in the toilet with me when I've been on my period, so she's known from quite young what they are. I didn't go into massive detail though and I haven't mentioned about them being related to pregnancy. She's never asked for anymore details as of yet!

 

[candeur]

sorry i just accident posted in here instead of starting a new thread

 

[catty]

My daughter asks (almost 4) and I just told her woman bleed once a month but it doesn't hurt and she seemed completely fine with that answer she didn't even ask why like she normally does. If she'd asked why Im not even have sure what my answer would be!

 

[bdb84]

I've always been very open and honest about these things with my own kids. My mom was always embarrassed to talk to me about these issues and it made me feel uncomfortable going to her with any personal questions.

My son (12) knows the ins and outs of ovulation, conception, pregnancy, and periods. My 8 year old daughter knows quite a bit but there are still some things she has a hard time fully understanding. She knows that girls get their periods between the ages of 9-13 and that it comes once a month if/when the female does not get pregnant. I tell my 3 year old (well, I did before I conceived) that I'm bleeding because I do not have a baby in my belly.

I may be a bit too open with my kids but that's my mission. To make it so normal to them that they feel zero hesitation coming to me for anything.

 

[babycrazy1706]

I've always been very open and honest about these things with my own kids. My mom was always embarrassed to talk to me about these issues and it made me feel uncomfortable going to her with any personal questions.

My son (12) knows the ins and outs of ovulation, conception, pregnancy, and periods. My 8 year old daughter knows quite a bit but there are still some things she has a hard time fully understanding. She knows that girls get their periods between the ages of 9-13 and that it comes once a month if/when the female does not get pregnant. I tell my 3 year old (well, I did before I conceived) that I'm bleeding because I do not have a baby in my belly.

I may be a bit too open with my kids but that's my mission. To make it so normal to them that they feel zero hesitation coming to me for anything.

I love this

My mum was the same with me, embarrassed to tell me anything, I learnt about periods from school and was really embarrassed when I started and then every time I had to ask for pads. I still to this day get embarrassed/nervous to tell her things. I'll always be completely open with my son xx

 

[_Meep_]

Haha, I've literally just been explaining periods to my 3 year old.