What Every Dad Should Know About His Daughter’s First Period

For dads, helping or supporting their daughter’s first period can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. By understanding menstruation and preparing early, you can help make this milestone a positive and supportive experience for your daughter.

How to Be There for Your Daughter’s First Period

Don’t worry; I will walk you through everything you need to know about supporting your daughter’s first period, from having the right menstrual products at home to starting open and honest conversations.

1. Understanding Menstruation as a Supportive Dad

Menstruation doesn’t have to be a taboo topic, and as a dad, having a basic understanding of what’s going on with your daughter’s body can help you make it through this time in a much more supportive fashion.

Preparing for your daughter’s first period can be one of the most important first steps. If it happens suddenly without her understanding what’s going on or without having any appropriate menstrual products around the house, it can lead to a bad experience for both her and everyone involved.

2. Starting the Conversation Early

It’s important to engage in ongoing conversations early on. You don’t have to have the formal sit-down talk, but small discussions about what she may be feeling, what may happen with her body, or whether any of her friends have started their periods yet can often help ease her into the topic.

This approach can make it more manageable and increase the likelihood that she’ll open up about her feelings.

3. Having the Right Products at Home

It’s also a good idea to have some menstrual products around the house. Items like pads, tampons, or even period underwear can be helpful so that when her first period does come, as it often does unexpectedly, she’s ready for it.

Another thing that can be helpful is for her to see these products, try different options, and experience what they feel like before she actually has bleeding and starts feeling emotional about it.

4. Validating Her Feelings

Remember, one of the most important things during this time is not to brush off her feelings. Saying things like, “Every woman deals with this,” or, “You’re going to be okay,” really doesn’t validate her symptoms.

Listen to what she has to say and help her navigate this time in her life by showing her that you’re there to support her.

5. Embracing the Milestone Positively

One of the best ways to support your daughter through her first period is to embrace this milestone positively. Rather than following the old narrative, “This is just something you’ll have to deal with each month,” tell her this signifies an important step in maturation and that it indicates her body is healthy and she should be proud of it.

Also read: 10 Things Parent Should Know Before Their Child Starts First Period

It’s important to listen to her, show kind gestures, and have an open dialogue about however much or little she wants to talk about.

6. Preparing for Periods Away from Home

Another big situation that can bring anxiety to your daughter is the fact that she may experience her period away from home, like at a friend’s house, at school, or on a vacation. And it’s important to ease her concerns that no matter where this happens, she can be prepared for it.

A travel-friendly period pack is an important thing to have. It’s as simple as placing a few sanitary pads, an extra pair of underwear, and a couple of Ziploc baggies in her backpack just to keep at school or anywhere she happens to be. That way, no matter what happens, she’s always prepared.

7. Talking to Boys About Periods

Another topic to think about with your daughter is what about the boys in her life? Often, this can be her brothers, both older and younger. They may not know what’s going on, but it’s important to remove the stigma associated with periods.

If you have sons, it’s important to talk to them about this in an age-appropriate way to let them know that it’s entirely normal and shouldn’t be considered gross or disgusting.

If their sister is dealing with this and going through puberty, it’s also important to encourage them to be understanding and specifically to discourage teasing.

She’s already self-conscious about this, and she doesn’t need her older brother or even her little brother causing a problem in the bathroom.

8. When Your Daughter Isn’t Receptive

As I said before, not all daughters are going to be instantly receptive or open to discussing their periods with their dads. Even the most well-intentioned parents may get the cold shoulder or the classic, “Can you just leave me alone,” sort of response.

But regardless, it’s important for you to have an understanding and know what’s going on with your daughter’s body. It’s important to guide your daughter toward the best resources so she can explore this topic on her own.

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