Talking to your teen about menstruation

IT is probably best to avoid “The Talk” about menstruation. Instead, try to spread it out into lots of smaller conversations; education about how the human body works should be continuous. Otherwise, too much importance is placed on a single discussion if the information can be overwhelming. Of course, kids reaching puberty should already know what is going to happen to their bodies.

Even toddlers ask questions about their bodies, and parents should answer them honestly. But how specific you are with the details should depend on your child’s maturity and ability to understand.

Throughout childhood, kids ask many questions and each is an opportunity for parents to advance their kids’ knowledge. Doing so not only gives kids the information they need when they ask for it, but also let them know that their parents are available for and are comfortable with these discussions.

You should not necessarily wait for their questions to talk about puberty and menstruation. Ideally, by the time they are close to puberty, both girls and boys should have full knowledge of the changes that will take place in their bodies. This is because kids really want to learn about most things from their parents. And you can be sure that they will also hear their friends discuss these changes.

By providing your children with good information, parents will know that they are well-informed and able to sort out any misinformation. Some children can actually make certain aspects of puberty; menstruation, in particular sound bad and scary; and if that is the only information kids have, then, that is what they will believe and hold on to.

It is important for parents to paint the process of menstruation in a positive light. If a mother refers to her period as “the curse,” her daughter might get a negative impression of the whole experience. Instead, mothers can explain that monthly periods are a natural and wonderful part of being a woman. After all, without them, women cannot become mothers. Letting them know that everyone is different is also key. For example, your daughter may be concerned that her body is changing more quickly or more slowly than her friends’ bodies.

Girls also need to be familiar with feminine hygiene supplies; sanitary pads and tampons and they should know that sometimes periods may cause cramps when the muscles of the uterus contract.

Another reason teenagers need to know about menstruation at an early age is that sexually active girls can get pregnant even before they start menstruating. Sometimes ovulation; the release of an egg from an ovary can happen just before a girl is about to have her first period. This means that she can be fertile and become pregnant even though she hasn’t menstruated yet.

Common questions teenagers ask about menstruation and how to answer them

Teenagers; both girls and boys often have lots of questions about menstruation, such as:

• How come only girls have periods? Explain that boys change in different ways during puberty, like the deepening of their voices and the growth of facial hair. Getting her period means a girl can have a baby. Periods happen because of changes in the uterus; a body part that girls have but boys do not.
• Do girls have their periods for the rest of their lives? No, a woman stops having her period usually between the ages of 45 and 51, which means she will no longer be able to become pregnant; at least, not without the help of some fancy reproductive technology; IVF.

             (To be continued next week)