The new U by Kotex Tween

If you are the parent of a girl, you know it is coming. The big P. The talk. Her period, plain and simple. But it’s not plain and simple. As a parent, it can be very hard to talk to our children about puberty and things that affect their bodies. As a child, tween, teen, it can be hard to hear about it. Growing up is hard! For us all!

Kotex has created products for tween girls, U by Kotex Tween, that make is oh so much easier to have that one particular “talk’ easier to have with our girls. They also have a great site to go along with it. Thanks to the folks at Modern Mom and U by Kotex Tween, I received some nifty gifts to host a party with for girls between the ages of 8 and 12. Yes, you read that right, I said 8. Girls as young as 8 years old are beginning their cycles and it can be a scary time for them and their parents. U by Kotex Tween has a ton of resources on their site including a video (posted below), calendar, etc. And the pads themselves are wonderful. They are the right size for most tween girls smaller frames. The pads have wings which for me are a HUGE must have and the liners are perfect for daily wearing when you’re not totally sure when to expect your actual period. They will keep your daughters clothes protected and give her extra peace of mind. And the designs are so fresh and cute!

At our party, moms of girls 8-12 and I got together and looked at the products, discussed how to have the talk and related stories of our own first period experience. We decided that since it was a party & the girls were there, we would all have the talk together, right then and there. So we called them in, broke out the Harry & David cookies and the U By Kotex Tween pads and panty liners and info sheets and each of us took turns talking about “monthly bleeding” and how normal it is. We watched the Disney family: Story of menstruation on the computer, then asked the girls if the tips mentioned sounded like good ideas to them. Moms shared their experiences and we let the girls ask questions. In this environment, filled with laughter and fun, our daughters learned all about what to expect and who to talk to and I think they really enjoyed being included in a “grown-up” party.

A party like this is a GREAT way to break the ice and begin the big talks with your children. It sets the stage and allows them to come to you later with any further questions they may have. If you prefer to only have the one-on-one talk, the U by Kotex Tween site can also help with that. The information provided is very down to earth and extremely helpful so I really encourage you to check it out. Then pick a date to have the talk with your daughter. Get mani-pedi’s, go out to a movie or out to eat and just enjoy being together. Make it a day all about her and you together. Here is the video mentioned above:

I didn’t want to post photos pf the moms or their daughters here on the net, as I’m not comfortable putting other peoples pictures on here, but here are some shots of the goodies we received. I’ve included pictures of the boxes of U by Kotex Tween so you know what to look for at the store. They are available at major retailers nationwide including Kmart, Target, Walmart and CVS.