Have you had “the talk” with your daughter yet? Some topics may be on your daughter’s mind, including the dreaded fear of her period starting when she is away from home. Creating a Period To-Go Kit can help ease her worries.
For your daughter it may seem like a bit of surprise when her period arrives. Part of that is due to her body finding its routine but part of it may be that she just does not know what to expect. Helping your daughter understand the signs ahead of time will give her a little more confidence knowing what is happening. The unknown can sometimes be the scarier than the actual event.
Next to not knowing what to expect, having your period appear when you’re not prepared or when you’re outside your comfort zone, as in anywhere that isn’t your home, can make a girl feel anxious. It sometimes makes me feel anxious and I’m an adult. Providing your daughter with a Period To-Go kit can easy her worries knowing she has everything she needs should her period arrive when she’s out.
You and your daughter can even build this handy kit together giving you the perfect opportunity to talk about boys, breasts and all things puberty. The kit should be simple and include the basics to get her through the arrival of her period. When my own pre-teen daughter and I created her kit we included the following:
Panty Liners. The Always Radiant Incredibly Thin Liners are perfect for early spotting or discharge that may occur prior to the onset of your daughter’s period. These liners are so thin they feel like part of your underwear, making them perfect to wear for your daughter’s own comfort level.
Pads. As adults we may forget that our cycles weren’t always so regulated. At the start of your daughter’s period her cycle may vary along with her flow. She may need a pad with a little more absorbency on some days and the Always Radiant Infinity Teen Regular Pads with Wings offer a little more protection without the bulk. Plus they are pretty compact so they don’t take a lot of room in her Period To-Go kit.
Tampons. Transitioning into a tampon from a pad is a girl’s personal choice. I know I wore pads for a few cycles when my period first started but as I became more comfortable with my body and cycle I moved into tampons. The Tampax Radiant Regular is a brand I use for leak protection so it would probably be the brand I would recommend to my daughter. Although you might feel the compact version would be ideal for your daughter’s Period To-Go kit, I think the full size tampons are best for girls just starting to wear tampons. Dealing with a moveable applicator is one less issue she has to deal with.
Compact mirror. Inserting a tampon the first few times can take some trial and error. Having to deal with a part of your body that isn’t easy to see doesn’t help. Having a little compact mirror in your daughter’s kit may make things a little easier. This step-by-step tutorial may also help. Wearing a panty liner with her tampon may also give your daughter a little more confidence as she figures out her flow and cycle.
Calendar. Understanding her cycle is another way your daughter can feel comfortable about her period. Keeping a small calendar and pen within her Period To-Go kit makes it easy for her to circle her period days. Eventually she’ll see a pattern emerge and will know ahead of time when to expect her next cycle. I like this printable calendar from Hand and Seek, not too girly and small enough to fit in her kit bag. Of course if your daughter is more tech savvy she might like this period calculator.
Kit Bag. Keeping everything in a small bag means your daughter will be able to find what she needs easily when she needs it. A compact size makes it easy to slip into a pocket of her backpack and slip out to make a trip to the bathroom. Why not plan a girls day out with your daughter at the mall to shop for the perfect little bag? I love the new line of cosmetic bags from Sonia Kashuck at Target. They’re fun, inexpensive ($6), and perfect for carrying these personal items. Our own Junior Style Blogger shares a few of her bag picks too.
Don’t forget to restock the kit as products get used.
The start of your period can be exciting for some girls and scary for others. As mothers we know, we’ve been there. We don’t need to make a big deal out of this next stage but we can help our daughter’s feel confident and comfortable with this part of growing up.
This post is sponsored by Always and Tampax but all opinions and experiences shared her are my own. Image provided by P&G Canada.