When it comes to talking to your teen about anything, especially something as personal and private as periods, you might feel like you’re hitting a brick wall. They’ll clam up, tune out, and give you that look that says they know something you don’t. But don’t worry. There are ways to ease into the subject with them so it doesn’t seem like such a foreign topic. Keep reading for some tips on how to talk to your teen about periods without making it uncomfortable for them:

They Can Still Do Everything They Love:

Your main goal should be to let them know that they can continue to do everything they love. Like playing sports or hanging out with their friends, while they’re getting ready to get their period. Things like period swimwear for teens exist now. So daily life doesn’t have to grind to a halt. They’ll appreciate the fact that you don’t make it seem like periods are an interruption of life, rather a small annoyance.

Find The Right Time And Place:

Before you bring it up, you’ll have to try to find the right time and place. Think about how much your teen might be willing to open up to you. If they’re open to talking about it, you can try to bring it up when they seem ready, like when they seem less distracted by other things. Or by asking them outright if they want to chat. For example, they’ll be open to talking more when they’re done with Netflix or their homework.

Make It Clear You Care:

If you want your teen to feel like they can talk to you about periods, you’ll want to make it clear that you care. You might say things like, “I’m so sorry you have to deal with this, but I’m glad we can talk about it.” Or, “It’s important for you to talk to someone if you’re feeling sad or if you have questions about your body.” You can tell your teen that you want them to feel like they can talk to you about periods by saying things like these.

Be Patient:

As you try to talk to your teen about periods, you’ll want to be patient and give them space to share their thoughts. You don’t want to push them into talking about something they’re not ready to. It can seem pushy or overly inductive if you try to “push” your teen into talking about periods right away. Instead, try to wait until you see that your teen is ready to open up about it.

Ask Open-Ended Questions:

Try to use open-ended questions to get your teen talking about periods. What do they think about periods? What are their questions? Open-ended questions help you get your teen thinking without giving them a direct answer and help them open up to talking about something they might not otherwise talk about. They can help you get your teen talking about periods in a non-pushy way and give them space to share their thoughts.

Don’t Let Embarrassment Stop You:

It’s important to remember that they might feel embarrassed, weird, or even gross about period problems. Especially if they haven’t talked to anyone about it yet. It’s normal for teens to feel that way, but you have to try to avoid making them feel like that. If your teen is embarrassed about talking about periods, try to avoid making them feel like they have to talk about it. Make it clear that it’s okay if they don’t want to talk about it and that you’re not going to make them do it if they don’t want to.

First periods can be scary and it’s important to keep your teen’s mind at ease. Use the tips above for a good place to start!

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