Straight Talk for Moms and Daughters – Tampon Time
Your daughter got her period and now she wants to talk about using a tampon.
In a previous post I broached the subject of adolescence and coming of age; a period of my life that I can’t help but look back on with complete awkwardness. There were so many good points that I can recall from my teenage years but as I mentioned in my last post about the subject, there are also some moments that I wish had passed more gently. One of these moments was getting my first period. As with all young girls, my first period took me completely off guard, but thankfully it wasn’t a traumatic experience for me. In fact, compared to some of the stories I’d heard from friends, my first period was pretty bearable! No period is pleasant per say but my first one went as well as can be expected. What do you do next then when it’s time to talk about her using a tampon, when she’s ready.
After the initial shock wore off, I sought out my Mother and explained to her that I had gotten my period. Up until that moment my Mother hadn’t broached the subject of my period with me, but to my great relief she handled the situation gently and sat me down to explain my period and the inner working of my body. I’ll admit that it was awkward at first but the more she explained to me, the more comfortable we both got and I feel that our conversation was the stepping stone of my success with handling my period in the years to come. Not only did that conversation with my Mother help me become more comfortable with my period in the months that followed, but it also made it easier to go to her with any other questions I had about my period when they came up. This was especially helpful when it came to choosing the pads and later, the tampons, that were right for me when the time came to make the switch.
If I had to hazard a guess I would say that most young girls start out using pads during the first few years of their periods. This was certainly the case with me. No matter if I was at the end of my cycle or the beginning I always made sure that I had a handful of pads tucked away in my backpack or purse, just in case I got my period while at school or even just in case my friends received theirs unexpectedly and needed a pad to tide them over until they could get to their own stash. Finding the right pad for my cycle was a challenge at first but once my cycle stabilized and I knew what to expect from month to month it got easier to decide which pads were right for me during my period.
Tampax Pocket Pearls are perfect for teens, more info below 🙂
Of course, as with all young girls, there came a time when I felt I was ready to take the next step in period care. Although I was most comfortable with using pads during my period I’d often found myself curious about making the switch to tampons. Lots of my friends had already made the switch and were happy with the results. I knew that tampons took more getting used to than pads and that at first using them would be about trial and error but in my mind the pros far outweighed the cons. One of the biggest draws for me was the fact that tampons were more compact and more easily concealed than pads. There was nothing more embarrassing than having a pad fall out of my backpack accidentally or the awful crinkling sound they made when trying to open them, so, I plucked up my courage and bought my first box of tampons.
Now that my 14 year old daughter is of the age to be getting her own period and we’ve had that first straight talk about her period, I knew I would soon have to start teaching her more about the different products that are available to her besides pads. One thing that I wanted to stress the most about tampons is finding a tampon that would work best for her.
When I first started using tampons all those years ago there weren’t as many kinds to choose from as there are today but now there are rows upon rows of different tampons to choose from. There are tampons that are designed for a light flow or a heavy flow and then there are tampons that are for an average period and even those specifically engineered for girls/women who are physically active. Figuring out what type of tampon is right for you can be a little tricky and like pads can involve a lot of trial and error.
Tampax Pocket Pearl is the latest tampon from a brand that I’ve used for years because of their comfort. This innovative tampon is perfectly sized to fit right in your pocket so you can take it with you virtually anywhere you need to go. One of my favourite features about this new tampon, aside from it being so cleverly designed and compact, is that it comes in 4 different packaging designs that were co-designed by leading fashion trend experts and teen girls with a passion for fashion. I think this makes it all the more appealing to young girls who are interested in trying tampons for the first time.
Here’s a great video to show the advantages of the Tampax Pocket Pearl
Key features of the Tampax Pocket Pearl include:
- New, softer wrapper with a perforated edge to allow for a quieter and more discreet removal
- Fits in the palm of your hand
- is the only tampon that features the built-in backup braid that helps stop leaks
- FormFit technology better eliminates the gaps that cause leaks
- Available in Regular, Super and Super Plus Absorbency
One of the most ingenious features about the Tampax Pocket Pearl is its unique applicator. Unlike other applicators that have come before, the Tampax Pocket Pearl is adorably compact and features the ready-set-click mechanism. Once you take the tampon out of the packaging, you extend the applicator until you hear the click*. When you hear the click, you know the applicator is ready to use to insert the tampon.
I also very much appreciate the videos from Tampax where it’s teen girls talking to well teen girls. Here’s a handy one to share with your teen. You can also send them right to the link if they’d like to go and watch it by themselves HERE.
Getting your period for the first time doesn’t have to be difficult. This coming-of-age experience can be a positive milestone if you young girls have the information they need and are not afraid to test out new products. As a parent, I feel it’s our job to make this experience a positive one and to have those open talks with our young girls so that they are prepared and aren’t afraid to come to us with questions. Knowledge is power and knowing what’s available to them and that they can come to us to talk about anything can make this stage of life so much easier for them. Especially when they have trusted brands like Tampax and their ever evolving technology on our side!
Debbie White Beattie says
Great video, I had to figure it out myself my first time but I couldn’t imagine using a pad even from the beginning
Nancy Burgess says
Interesting and helpful information thanks for sharing.
Dotty J Boucher says
This is a very crazy talk time, but it is so important and if they are going to use tampons, I would suggest changing every 2hr not 4 to 8, I really don’t think that is a good idea to keep those in too long,.,
The Char says
Haha, this is so awkward to deal with.
Elizabeth Matthiesen says
A very important conversation indeed, also important is to impress on girls is that they don’t leave a tampon in for too long. Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is seldom but is a real danger.
Kara Marks says
Important, delicate talk to have. Good article–ty.
kristen visser says
great post! and I actually just bought a box of Tampax Pearl today getting prepared for when i get mine next lol. I honestly cannot even remember having the conversation with my mom. My memory is so bad. I know it happened obviously just cannot remember words that were said. I have two girls, they are under the age of 4 so I still have a while to go. But I would love to have the conversation with them before they get it so they know what is coming and are prepared for when the time comes
Cheryl says
Thanks for the video link!! I will have to have this talk with our girls soon enough and I am sure this will help!! 🙂
Chelsey DeWitt says
I am so not looking forward to this conversation lol but these are some great tips
Stacey A Smith says
I never got my self to try tampons even if they look like they would make like easier.don’t no why I could never get my self to use them maybe if I had a good mother daughter talk I could have.
Susan Smith says
Tampons are so more convenient and cleaner to use but my daughter is a bit nervous to use them yet.
Lauryn R says
I grew up without a mom so this experience was definitely traumatic for me. Now that I have 2 girls of my own I will definitely do my best to make them aware and as comfortable as possible when that day does come (they are only 7 and 2, but time flies). I personally love tampons now, and use pantiliners for the super light end days.
Judy Thomas says
Tampons are so much more convenient and cleaner to use.
April monty says
Tampons are great ,twice as many ladies I know now use them as when I was a teen
Nena Sinclair says
Keeping an open line of communication with your children makes those awkward conversations so much easier. You did a great job with your daughter! 🙂
Renee Rousseau says
Very helpful information to initiate conversation with our daughters. Thank you for listing the resources.
Raven P. says
My daughter is 11 and I know we will be experiencing this pretty soon. She is the only girl out of my 3 children so I am a bit nervous and kind of excited at the same time. She’s growing up too fast!
Bonnie Lee says
I know that it can be pretty traumatic to think of your little girl as a young lady. I know my mom was very cautious when she talked to me about tampons and my period. It’s super important to know all of the key things!
Linda Manns says
It is so important that we talk to our children about the changes in our body. Tampons have been around for a long time. The Tampax pocket pearl sounds great. Thank you so much for sharig this