My five-year-old and my three-year-old know about tampons. They know what a tampon is and why I need to use it five days out of the month.
When my daughter was little she would always follow me into the bathroom and one day she yelled: “Daddy, mama is bleeding red!!” My husband walking into the house from being at work all day runs over and then picks up our daughter and says, “That’s ok, mommy has her period.”
She was two at the time so I don’t think it really made an impression on her, but now that she is 5 she knows. So does my son – they both have grabbed my tampons out of my bag and have asked why mommies bleed and my answer is always simple.
“When girls’ bodies start to change they get their periods, and when you get your period you know you aren’t having a baby. The blood isn’t a bad thing and it doesn’t hurt – and this means mommy isn’t having another baby, this is totally normal. Some day you will have your period.”
My son loves coming with me and asking if he can get me a tampon, and he asks what color I need. It’s important to me that my son isn’t grossed out by this, his father has gone out many times to buy me tampons and he knows the kind I prefer. He has bought pads for me and again he has never once complained or made a big deal of it. My husband wants our kids to know and see what a supportive partner is so they can be that way to their partner someday.
So when my son says, “Mommy has her period.” I’m not embarrassed, I’d rather be honest with my kids so they have an understanding of what happens to a woman’s body and that there is no shame and nothing to be afraid of. When my daughter one day needs a pad or tampon I don’t want her to feel weird asking her dad, because (here’s a spoiler alert) he will go out and get it for her and her favorite snacks and let her know he is there for her.
Having your period is a part of life and it’s uncomfortable and annoying, but I want to raise two little people who will be supportive and understanding and think of it as normal. I hope one day if their friend unexpectedly get their period at school my kids will tell them it’s ok and offer a sweatshirt to put around their waste before they walk to the nurse’s office.
Let’s normalize all kids knowing about tampons.
