How a period kit helps prepare your tween for their first period

You can’t predict when your kid will get their first period. Some kids will get their periods as early as 8 or 9 years old while others may not get their first period until they’re 15 or 16. 

Talking to your kid about what a period is, what to expect when it starts, and showing them where you keep period products at home and how to use them can help your tween feel better prepared for whenever their period does begin. 

One way to get the conversation started is to shop for and pack a period kit. A period kit is a small bag or pouch that holds menstrual products — kids can keep them in their backpack or locker so they’re prepared for their period when they’re not home. Selecting period products together is a good way to introduce your tween to various products, explain how they work, talk about which ones they might want to try, and practice using them when possible.  

Here are 5 things to think about as you get started: 

Disposable or reusable products? 

• Disposable products like tampons and pads can be wrapped up and thrown away after you use them. Reusable products like menstrual cups/discs and period underwear need to be washed between each use. People may switch between both types, or they may choose one or the other. Some things people consider include cost, their own comfort washing blood, and environmental sustainability. 

To insert or not insert? 

• Tampons and menstrual cups/discs go inside your vagina. Some people aren’t comfortable inserting anything into their vaginas when they first get their period, or at all. Other people like products that go into your vagina because they don’t like the way pads or period underwear feel. And some people may use both types and choose which one they use based on how they’re feeling or what activities they have planned for the day. 

Get familiar with your products ahead of time.

• This is a good idea regardless of what kind of products they pick. Keep in mind that often, inserting a tampon or menstrual cup/disc can be the first time a young person sees or feels their own vagina. To help your kid get a sense of their body, they can use a hand mirror to see what their vulva and vaginal opening looks like, and learn more about anatomy. You can have them open a tampon to see what it looks like, how it feels in your hands, and practice how the push mechanism works.
• Don’t try to practice inserting a tampon before your period starts because wearing a tampon without having a period can cause unnecessary dryness and discomfort without moisture from the blood flow. 

Personal wipes and underwear/pants.

• Sometimes kids aren’t home when they get their first period, so it’s a good idea to have a few items to help them clean up when it happens. Along with period products, think about including some wipes and clean underwear in the period kit, in case a surprise period gets messy and stains their clothes. Avoid scented products, wipes and douches — they can irritate sensitive skin and upset vaginal pH. 

Something for aches and pains.

• Physical discomfort can vary from person to person and from period to period. Keeping an over-the-counter painkiller like ibuprofen or acetaminophen in their period kit can help with uncomfortable period symptoms like menstrual cramps and headaches. 

After your tween starts their period, encourage them to try different products to figure out what works best for them. And make sure they know they can come to you with any questions or concerns they have about their period — or anything else.