A period kit is one of those essential items that every girl should have. It is a small bag that contains what she needs to manage her period when she is not at home. Because as you know, periods can start when least expected!
As soon as your daughter starts to grow pubic hair and breasts, you’ll need to think about building her a teen period kit. Building it together is the perfect opportunity for you to start talking about periods.
Plan a mother-daughter ( or daddy) date where you talk with her about how to manage her periods, what she could expect and what she’ll need to take to school with her. If you’re not sure about what to talk about, you might find some ideas in Girl Puberty: How to talk about Puberty and Sex with your tween girl.
You will need to find a bag that is small enough to be handheld but large enough to hold everything she’ll need. Make sure it is something that your daughter likes and is comfortable with carrying (otherwise she won’t use it). Some girls like to use a pencil case, a purse or even a purpose built bag. It needs to be small enough to be discrete but large enough to use without spilling the contents on the floor and robust enough to get knocked around in the bottom of her school.
So what do you need to have in her period kit?
- Period underwear. These leak-absorbing pants means that your daughter can wear them on the days leading up to her period as well as during her period. These magic period pants will absorb any leaks, saving her the embarrassment of blood stains on the back of her clothing. But more importantly they’ll provide her with the reassurance that she can continue her day without a worry in the world and no leaks means no stains her clothes. A lot of girls worry that their period will start at school, stain their clothing and they’ll die of embarrassment when the whole school sees it! Period underwear is the perfect solution as they can use the underpants for everyday wear. Which means increased confidence and less fear about stained clothing! Modibodi have a new range of period underwear that are sized for smaller tween and teen bodies.
- Cleansing wipes or hand cleanser. Girls can be very shy about periods so this item allows them to clean up any extra blood off their hands or thighs (not her vulva) whilst she is still in the toilet cubicle. As your daughter grows more confident with managing her period, she may not need this item.
- Small seal bag. To place any ruined undies that weren’t leakproof or protective or if your daughter has heavy flow.
Once you have made the kit up together, you’ll then need to remind her that she needs to carry it in her schoolbag. If she is bit unsure about carrying it or says she doesn’t need it just yet, remind her that it will also come in handy for her friends too. Or why not complete my ‘When will I start my first period?’ Quiz together, so that she knows if her period will be sooner rather than later.
Girls are often anxious about their first period, worrying that it will start at school and that they’ll stain their clothing for everyone to see. So a period kit will cut down on anxiety as it means that she will now be prepared. Combining a period kit with Modibodi’s tween & teen period underwear means that she will feel extra safe as she’ll have underwear that will keep her safe until she can get to a bathroom.
Have fun making your period kit together and use it as an opportunity to start preparing your daughter for her periods!
Cath Hakanson has been talking to clients about sex for the past 25 years as a nurse, midwife, sex therapist, researcher, author and educator. She’s spent the past 10 years trying to unravel why parents (herself included) struggle with sex education. Her solution was to create Sex Ed Rescue, an online resource that simplifies sex education and helps parent to empower their children with the right information about sex, so kids can talk to their parents about anything, no matter what.
You can find Cath at Sex Ed Rescue.
