How do we talk to our kid about periods?!

0:00 But how do I talk about what a period is? And I'm going to feel so awkward. The reason why you want to be honest with your kid when they say, "What's a period? Why are kids on the bus laughing about the word period?" Or even, "Mom, why do you blood in your underwear?" Is because we all want our kid to come to us with tricky, important questions when they're older. That doesn't just start at age 16. That just happens to be when the stakes are high. The reason kids come to us with tricky, but important questions when they're 16 is because we've laid the foundation when they're younger. We've essentially said, "No question is too awkward or weird to talk to me about." Start by actually naming your awkwardness. Just say, "It's a great question. I might seem awkward or laugh a little when we talk about it. It's not cuz your question is wrong, and it's not cuz this is funny.

0:45 It's just because no one ever talked to me about this honestly when I was your age." Then just use simple words. You have a body part inside you called a uterus. Or if your kid doesn't have a uterus, just explain some people do. During puberty, one way the uterus stays healthy is by releasing blood every month through the vagina. And that process is called a period. Let me know if you have any questions. And then just pause. Your kid might have a question, they might ask for a snack. Either way, you're laying the foundation for the fact that you can talk openly and honestly about anything. And that's going to be really protective and important for your kid.