Well I guess all todders are curious, but lately DD#1 seems to be asking ALOT of questions! I need advice on the best way to answer these questions!
The main one at the moment is a bit silly really (or rather I guess I feel silly for having to ask about this )
She keeps finding tampons & pads and asking what they are! Usually I'm a fan of telling an age appropriate version of the truth. But with this I'm hesitant - I guess I feel like she really doesn't need to know about periods yet (she's only 3) but also my mother was never really open about things with me when I was a child - so I don't have that experience to go by.
I remember asking what tampons were when I was about 4 or 5, and mum just told me they were soaps! Hehe so then I used to dangle them in the toilet! I digress...
Anyway, so what do YOU tell your inquisitive DD's? Does anyone have any advice? I don't think I can just keep hiding them, or blowing her off when she does ask.
i remember telling my DD at about that age that they were just things grown up ladies had to use and she accepted that answer i know not a very good answer for her but my mum was the same i could never talk to her about anything and she didnt talk to me about it so im totally new to it all!
I told my DS1 & DD1 that they're special things that Mummy's need to use when they're not having any babies. Not a lie, but not going into great details either.
"You know how mummy has a house in her tummy?"
"Yes."
"Well you know how sometimes a baby grows in the house?"
"Yes"
"Well when a baby doesn't grow in the house it cleans itself out to make a new house in case a baby grows, just like we vacuum and dust"
"And when it does it gets a bit messy, so I use these and it isn't so messy then."
When DD was older she knew that the blood was the "dust" and she was fine with it. It was the best explanation for her at her age and it satisfied her curiosity. And it wasn't a down and out lie either.
I obviously don't have any DD's, but my mum was very open with me as a child, she told me that they were just things that mummies and ladies used. I didn't really ask any more questions after that until I was older, maybe 7, by which stage I was vaguely aware that mum got a period, but not completely understanding what that meant iykwim? But then I asked what a period was, and mum explained in a very simplified way; I think it was just something like, when ladies get older they wee some blood every month, it doesn't hurt but it helps us have babies...if only she didn't have me believe that AF didn't hurt But then once again, by the time I needed more in depth info I was in school and learning about that there as well at home.
Anyway, I would just say something along the lines of what mrs s has said, that it's what mummies/ladies use.
Lisa & Rouge - great way of explaining! I'll try something like that next time she asks.
The other day DD#1 asked me how babies get OUT of their mummy's tummies - so I told her they came out of their mummy's vagina - she thought it was hysterical! She totally didn't believe me
I used say they're tampons/pads, that used to stop questions when they were very young but now that they're older they ask what they're used for so I tell them, we actually had this very discussion in IGA a couple of weeks ago lol. I'm a very 'matter of fact' person though, I don't like sugar coating things or using analogies. It's just me.
I agree Rouge and I hope my comment didn't offend you, I honestly didn't realise until now that it could have been offensive.
I guess what I was trying to say is that I personally prefer to answer their questions honestly and factually. I do always give them age appropriate information. I would never belittle anyone elses ideas or opinions on the subject and once again I hope my comment hasn't offended anyone.
No you didn't offend me I was just clarifying. And just to assure you putting things in ways a child can comprehend is recommended and done by many sex education counsellors and psychs. As long as it's just a change in terminology and not facts.
I didn't cop this question first my mother did whilst looking after DD one day. My mum told her that they were gran's "nappies" (pads) lol Now my DD thinks it's hilarious that gran needs nappies and so does mummy. She evenb told me one day that I didn't need them coz I was a big girl now- TT encouragement we had been using lol
When my boys were 4 and 3, I needed to use the loo urgently to put in my mooncup, and as they were so young they had to come in with me. They wanted to know what the cup was, and why I was bleeding so I told them that ladies get a cushion of blood in their belly every month incase a baby starts, and when it doesn't the cushion comes away so I catch it in the cup and flush it all away.
They have never really asked since then, I think it satisfied their curiosity.
That said, I would not have chosen for them to see me put my mooncup in because I am quite private, even with my kids, but I had no choice and I didn't want to hide what I was doing because the blood+no explanation would have freaked them out.
ETA: I was at a shopping mall when this happened, hence why they had to come into the loos with me
Last edited by Traveller; March 16th, 2010 at 12:17 PM.
: vital information
When my DS was born my DD sore me use pads alot. She always comes into the bathroom / toilet with me. I didn't really explain why I had to use them (she was only just 2 at the time) but I told her they were mummies. She put a couple of them in her undies a few times and even once proudly walked out in front of the whole family showing how she was wearing pads like mummy! She got over the fad of them and hasn't talked about them since. I imagine it will come up again one day so I am watching this thread for ideas on what to say.
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Help! I have a curious DD!
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But then once again, by the time I needed more in depth info I was in school and learning about that there as well at home.
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