Common Misperceptions Your Daughter Might Have About Her Period

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By the Dot Girl™ Moms

We've talked to a lot of young girls about periods. We've noticed that sometimes girls get their information about periods from their friends and not from their moms, aunts, grandmothers or other adults. This is just like the "telephone" game where the first girl passing along information may have it right, but by the time the information gets to the last girl in line, facts get distorted and misperceptions are born.

Here are some of the misperceptions we've heard about:

  • If I stay skinny, I won't get my period.
  • People can tell when I'm on my period because it smells.
  • The sanitary pads will show through my clothes.
  • If I use a tampon, I'm no longer a virgin.
  • Girls can't get pregnant if they have sex during their period.

Ask your daughter what she's heard about periods from her friends and help her to sort through what's true and what's based on false information. She may bring up some of the misperceptions we mentioned above and you can be ready with the right information:

  • Being underweight can have an effect on hormone balance and the menstrual cycle. However, this is not a healthy state to be in. Encourage your daughter to maintain a healthy weight and prepare proactively for her first period.
  • Menstrual blood itself does not cause an odor. Using proper hygiene methods during her period, such as regularly changing pads, will alleviate odors.
  • There are many different sizes of pads available today. Help your daughter find the right one for her and practice standing in front of a mirror with different types of clothes on. Your daughter will become comfortable with knowing that pads can't be seen through clothing.
  • A virgin is a woman who has not had sex. Using a tampon does not have an impact on virginity.
  • Although unlikely, it is possible to get pregnant during your period. It is not considered a method of birth control.
Your daughter will most likely feel relieved once she's gotten the facts about periods. Keeping the lines of communication open will help you both feel confident as she navigates this time in her life.

About the Dot Girl™ Moms

Two sisters, Terri and Kathy, founded Dot Girl™ First Period Products. Who better than two women who are also daughters and mothers to honestly address an uncomfortable topic?

Their motivation to create The Dot Girl's First Period Kit™ grew from their own awkward teenage experiences. Despite the fact that their mother was a wonderful nurturer to four daughters, she was never comfortable talking to them about their bodies. They found that this is more often the rule than the exception for both moms and dads. And the reality today is that parents often find themselves in the awkward position of having avoided the subject at all costs, to the detriment of their daughters.

Terri and Kathy's goal is to provide parents with the tools they need to explain the basics of menstruation to their daughters. And for the girls, they hope to lessen their anxiety about their first period and instead turn it into a positive experience. For more information, please visit www.dotgirlproducts.com.

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What others are saying.

Sonya Smith, 10/10/2008 8:25:08 PM
Excellent article when I was growing up I was very miss informed about my period this is a great article.

Jennifer, 10/11/2008 3:25:51 AM
I appreciate that this article is brief and to the point. While my daughter is very interested in this topic she's not quite so thrilled about reading a book on the subject so I printed this out for her to read. Less can mean more. I believe for some individuals you need to give them information over time. They need this 'digesting' time - which is especially dependent upon their age level. My daughter usually ends up with more questions so it takes several conversations to educate her. Thank you for helping to make this subject easier to explain. I hadn't touched on any of the above points in this article. It's hard to know what 'telephone talk' is being shared these days!

Marie, 2/24/2009 3:42:36 PM
I was one of the very few lucky ones who had a mom that told me the truth about everything female. It's good to be reminded, though, of those silly old wives' tales. I'll bet there is other misinformation out there that some of us haven't even heard of. That's why having open communication is so vital. My daughter is 8 going on 18, but I've always been open about periods, and growing up female. I feel that she's got a good handle on the subject, for her age.

jasmine, 3/13/2009 4:13:50 PM
i am 13 going on 14 i had my period when was 12in a half.

Kim, 3/20/2009 12:57:14 PM
I've got a 9 yr old daughter that I'll soon be needing to talk with. I had this talk before with my now adult daughter, but I'd forgotten some of the fine points. This article really helped me to remember the stuff that truly needs to be covered.

Brittany, 8/13/2009 10:02:12 PM
I am 13 years old. I feel seld-consious because all of my friends are more "developed" than me. We all started our periods within 6 months, so why am i so behind? we are all the same age and i feel like im flat chested. Is there any methods that you can use to improve breast size? -cluless

Anoyomus, 9/7/2009 4:43:17 PM
Brittany,

There isn't anything you can do to improve breast size. And it isn't about how your mom or other family members are. It may just take a while I thought I would never grow because I was a 32 A and out of know where I went to a 34 B. So don't worry, it may just take a while.

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