A good time to begin talking to your daughter about periods is long before she begins her own, but it's never too late! Most girls start menstruating between the ages of 9 and 16, with the average being 12-13 years old.
If your daughter asks questions about menstruation, try to answer them or suggest that you look up the answer together. If she doesn't ask questions, you can try bringing up the topic by:
If your daughter is hesitant to talk, you can take the first step by leaving an informative book somewhere she can find to read on her own.
Try to be positive: the idea that menstruation is a “curse” or something to dread is common in our society. You can help your daughter by:
Girls often have many concerns about menstruation ranging from the "management" of their periods, to how this is going to change them and the way people relate to them. You can help your daughter by talking about:
This is also a good time to reassure her that she will be able to maintain her interests after she starts her period (in sports, for instance).
You may want to find a way to mark the beginning of menstruation to recognise and celebrate this rite of passage your daughter's life. Almost every woman remembers how she got her first period. This is a good opportunity to create a positive memory for your daughter.
Ways of doing this could be as simple as:
It can be very helpful to discuss what this milestone means for your daughter as she is growing into a woman. Try to be open to many different conversations about her changing body and the emotions that go with these changes. If she knows you are available to her - even if it makes either of you slightly uncomfortable - she will be able to come to you with other important questions.
If she has other valued women in her life, you might encourage her to talk with them as well.
Revised June 2006.
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