DD8 asked me what a period is

small bean

Sat, Dec 14 2019, 7:34 pm

LovesHashem wrote:

I hear you. Unfortunately we don't live an ideal world. People sometimes die when I kid is that young and you need to explain it. Nowadays many get their period that young so you need to explain it.

Obviously, you would need to discuss death with a 3 year old at times. And this mother needs to discuss periods at 8. I was just explaining what people mean by losing innocence.

And it is very sad if a 3 year old understands death. It not ideal that a 3 year old should have to understand death and worry about their own death.

LovesHashem

Sun, Dec 15 2019, 3:10 am

small bean wrote:

Agreed.

Ema of 5

Mon, Dec 16 2019, 9:00 am

small bean wrote:

Btw an 8 year old is not usually mature enough to be saddled with this information. It is too much for them to wrap their heads around. I think that is what OP means by innocence. Not that knowing is bad but more kids shouldn't have to think or worry about these things.

I always feel bad when I hear kids who got their period at 9/10. It is very young to be busy with it.

It is not that periods is bad it is more the unknown for a tiny kid.

It is like telling a 3 year old that he will die one day. They cant process it and it will weigh heavy on them. Death is not a bad thing. It is part of human cycle

I disagree. My 8 year old processed it very well. She asked questions, and we discussed, and I got her a book.

Ema of 5

Mon, Dec 16 2019, 9:29 am

rosey wrote:

Regarding this concern, when my daughter learned something I didn't want her discussing with others, my teacher told me to say something along the lines that not everyone is mature enough for this information, and it's best not to discuss it with friends. We've also discussed the difference between something that's private and something that's secret. It's not a bad thing to know or to discuss with the right person, but it's not something discussed with everyone.

It might have been phrased a little differently but I thought they were good ways to try to avoid information spreading. If anyone else knows of good ideas or phrases I would be happy to hear more, since we'll be approaching this topic soon, and I don't know if others in her class will.

Yes, when I had this talk (and the zex talk) with my daughter, I told her that it was private information. Just like we don’t tell our friends what we do in the bathroom, there are some conversations that we don’t have with friends until we are older. I also told her that when she is a little older, someone is going to talk to her class about periods and their bodies. I said that some mommies like to be the ones to talk to their kids about it, and some mommies don’t like to talk about it at all, and both of those things are the mommy’s choice, which is why we don’t discuss it with our friends.
I made sure to emphasize that personal and private is not the same thing as secret or embarrassing.