Juhl: How And Why To Make A Period Kit For Your Tween

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Everyone remembers where they were when they got their first period. It could have been emotional or awkward, embarrassing, or just another day where something new happened. How you felt was probably directly related to how prepared you were.

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It’s never too early to talk to your kids about menstruation. If your daughter has a uterus, menstruation will be part of her life for about 40 years. So when they ask you about your pads or tampons in the bathroom cabinet, don’t ignore them, but keep the answer age-appropriate for her. If you’re not comfortable talking about Aunt Flow (don’t call her that), I’m afraid this is one of those times when she needs to suck it up. Keep it normal; It is normal.

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If they don’t feel comfortable talking to you, Montreal Children’s Hospital advises getting a book or directing them to a website like youngwomenshealth.org. amaze.org is another great resource for awkward conversations.

A first period usually occurs within two years of breast development. It can occur as young as eight or 15 years old. (If menstruation is delayed beyond 16 or more than three years after breast development, consultation with a health professional is recommended.)

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Now that you’ve handled the intellectual and emotional aspects, it’s time to get practical.

“My mom has always been the driving force behind menstrual kits for me ever since I started the first one,” says Kaitlyn Hellstrom, a resource teacher at Ste-Adèle Elementary School in the Laurentians.

She has put together an emergency period kit for the students at her school. At the beginning of the year, she invites girls in grades 4-6 to the library and shows them where they can find the supply box.

“They have tons of questions I’m trying to answer,” Hellstrom says, like what size pad they’ll need and how they’ll know when their period will start.

“We encourage you to support each other, talk about how you feel and tell a girl (subtly and privately) if you have a stain on your pants. Most of them are nervous about being caught off guard or in pain. I like them to know that every menstruating adult in the building has been through it and that we’re all willing to listen and help.”

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Hellstrom has heard insensitive comments from children that he believes stem from a lack of understanding or comments they have heard from other people in their lives. Boys aren’t excluded from conversations about menstruation, though society might classify periods as “a girl’s problem,” she says.

This is what Hellstrom has in his school time kit. Parents and their kids can put together a couple of their own kits, one for a backpack, one for a locker, using a small, inconspicuous bag like a makeup bag or pencil case.

“I started this system because my fifth grade teacher did the same thing for me,” says Hellstrom.

She suggests that parents can ask their child’s classroom teacher if there are emergency period kits at school, and if not, they can help start one.

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