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Periods - how much should I tell DD, if anything?
Recently, my 8 year old DD asked me "What's a period? Not the kind at the end of a sentence, but the kind that you get." Apparently she heard it on a tv show. Before I could answer her question she changed the subject to clothes and I breathed a sigh of relief! However, a very good friend of hers (just a few months older) is developing breasts and is now wearing a bra and I have a feeling she is not far from getting her period. I know its a long way off for DD, as most of the women in my family are "late bloomers." But if its happening to her friends, chances are they are going to be talking about it. Should I wait for her to ask again or take the initiative to explain it now...maybe get her a book or something?
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Re: Periods - how much should I tell DD, if anything?
Thanks for your reply to my post! Its funny you mentioned American girls because I was looking for a link for this book. It's part of the American Girl library. I don't remember how in depth it goes but one of my other sisters has it.
EDIT: Here's the description: This bestselling guide answers all the questions growing girls have about their bodies - from hair care to healthy eating, bad breath to bra buying, pimples to periods. It offers guidance about basic hygiene and health without addressing issues of sexuality. Over 1 million copies sold!
This!!!
I think an 8 year old needs to know. Within the next year, she could have friends who are wearing bras and starting their periods. Just tell her the biology behind it. When I had "the talk" about periods with my DD, I just told her:
Every month, a woman's body gets ready for the possibility that she could have a baby. Her ovaries release an egg and the uterus (where a baby would grow in the mom's tummy) gets a special lining ready. This lining is made up of blood and fluid. If no baby starts growing, the blood comes out and the uterus starts getting ready for the egg that will come next month. The blood comes out of the woman's vagina, a little at a time. That's called "having a period." Since we don't want that blood getting on our underwear and pants, we wear special products called pads and tampons at that time to catch the blood that comes out. Most girls get their periods the first time when they're 12 or 13. Some might start a little earlier or a little later. It's no big deal.
Of course, she asked "well what makes a baby start growing?" I told her that a special cell called a sperm cell that comes from the woman's husband joins with the egg to make a baby. That's why people don't usually have a baby until after they're married.
She was satisfied with this answer for a long time, and didn't pursue how the sperm gets to the egg, etc. So I let it go. Later she asked the more specific question, and DH and I just casually told her about intercourse, in a very straightforward, no-biggie, manner. She thought it sounded gross, which we said was normal for kids her age, but that when she's an adult she won't think it's gross at all.