SWNYPARENTS by Zoya Gervis
New York office - 646-873-7565 / usnews@swns.com
NEWS COPY - WITH VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC
One in five parents feels unprepared for their daughter’s first period, according to new research.
And while some do feel they have a plan, only half of parents feel very comfortable discussing menstruation with their daughter.
A study conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with THINX looked into how modern parents educate their daughters on important issues like sex and menstruation.
The study examined when moms and dads have these milestone discussions with their daughters and how they go about them. Three-quarters of moms (76 percent) report being the first parent to discuss menstruation with their daughter.
But nearly one in five of those polled said their daughter first learned about periods from her father (17 percent). While eight percent discussed it with both parents and five percent were educated at school.
Parents report first speaking to their daughters about menstruation at age 11, and about sex at age 12 – though moms are having these discussions slightly earlier than dads.
Even with these discussions, the stigma around periods remains, and some daughters find it hard to talk to their parents about menstruation.
Only 45 percent of parents say their daughter informed them immediately after getting her period – and some daughters tried to keep it a secret.
One-third of dads say their daughter’s first menstrual cycle was kept a secret from them, and 10 percent of moms were also kept in the dark for a short time.
Moms are slightly more likely to have a plan for how to talk about menstruation, and are twice as likely to feel “very comfortable” with the discussion (64 percent of moms vs. 31 percent of dads).
Dads do deserve credit, though, as the majority are at least somewhat comfortable speaking with their daughter about periods.
Talking about menstruation can be an emotional moment for parents and daughters alike, and parents reported feeling confident (37 percent), relaxed (29 percent) and, for some, nervous (29 percent).
When it comes to advice in general, daughters are slightly more likely to turn to their fathers, approaching their dads for advice seven times a week (vs. six times per week for moms).
Seventy-six percent of moms say they’re the most likely to initiate a serious conversation, but 41 percent of dads report that they’re the ones to bring up serious topics.
However, when it comes to their bodies, daughters are, perhaps predictably, a lot more likely to ask their moms for advice rather than their dads (85 percent vs. 21 percent).Periods can be confusing – cramping, irregularity, lack of knowledge about different products – so it’s not surprising that more than eight in 10 daughters have asked others for advice regarding their monthly flow.
And parents handle these questions well: their answers address how to be prepared by keeping extra pads or tampons around, how to feel clean and stay hygienic, keeping track of each menstrual cycle on the calendar and how to deal with physical and emotional symptoms.
“Talking with daughters about their changing bodies can be a difficult topic. In fact, many parents struggle to find the right way to navigate the conversation. It’s a weird time for daughters and parents, but being proactive is always the best option to ensure that your daughter doesn’t grow to be ashamed of her changing body, and instead embraces it,” Siobhan Lonergan, Chief Brand Officer of THINX Inc., said.
Interestingly enough, parents with more than one daughter report approaching the topic of menstruation differently the second or third time around.
This comes from learning how to better approach the topic after receiving advice from other parents (45 percent) and being better prepared after doing more research (34 percent). And for 38 percent, they say their daughters just handle change differently.
“No matter how old, parents will always look at their children as just that, children, and it can be difficult to have grown-up conversations with them. But getting over that fear and talking with them anyway can actually help grow the bond you have with your daughter, and that is what being a parent is all about,” added Siobhan Lonergan, Chief Brand Officer of THINX Inc.
