Sex Ed: Model Dialogue Menstruation

When the parent has proved himself or herself as being capable of talking about sex with some degree of comfort, then children will begin asking questions. It is vital to encourage questions, to praise kids lavishly for asking questions. This should be easy to do, because there are few greater gifts than having a child who will bring his or her questions to you. But typically, you must earn this gift by establishing a track record.

Your child happens to see a used tampon or sanitary napkin in the trash with a little blood leaked through. The mother takes the opportunity to explain menstruation simply.

CHILD: Mom, what is that? Is someone bleeding? Did someone cut themselves?

PARENT: No, honey. That blood came out of my vagina. But I’m not sick or cut. Do you know why that happened? It is because I’m having what women call my “period” right now.

CHILD: Your period? What’s that?

PARENT: You know how God made all women so that they can carry a baby in their tummy, in their womb? The baby needs a way to get food and air, and the baby gets both from the mommy’s blood. God made women so that when they’re old enough to get a baby in their tummy, every month they get a little extra blood in their womb just in case a little baby starts to grow in there. But if there is no baby there, the extra blood just comes out so that fresh blood can be ready the next month if a baby comes then. So I bleed just a little every month, and that’s what a period is.

CHILD: Does it hurt? It always hurts when you bleed!

PARENT: Well, it doesn’t always feel great. It hurts a bit for a couple of days, but it’s not too bad. I’m just so glad that God made my body in such a special way that I can carry a baby inside of me and take care of it, like I did for you. That’s a real miracle! My period every month reminds me of what a miracle my body is!

Some content taken from HOW AND WHEN TO TELL YOUR KIDS ABOUT SEX, by Stan and Brenna Jones. Copyright © 1993, 2007, 2019. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. To purchase books in the GOD’S DESIGN FOR SEX book series, go to www.navpress.com.