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Before embarking on an explaining menstruation, make a conscious effort to keep things neutral or positive. It’s important that both boys and girls see menstruation as a normal and healthy process, not something that people should be embarrassed about or feel guilt or shame from. Avoid derogatory language that makes menstruation sound negative, dirty, or unpleasant.  Boys may think that the bleeding may be painful, like from a cut. Assure them that the bleeding does not hurt and is not painful. You can explain that some women experience cramps, which are muscle cramps in the body, but the pain does not come from bleeding. When talking about menstruation, communicate that menstruation is a healthy and normal part of growing up for girls. Just like boys develop facial hair and their voices change, girls start to physically change, too. Say, “Before her blood comes for the first time, a girl does not have access to her power to create a baby. When it does come, it signals her that her body is ready to have a baby. It’s exciting to have this ability. Now, whether she is ready for a baby is something else!” For young children, you can talk about how the body cleans itself. Say, “Girls’ bodies are different than boys’ bodies. A major part of the body is cleaning from the inside out, like when you go pee or poo, or when you blow your nose. When girls get older, their body starts cleaning in a new way. Sometimes girls use special things to help their bodies be clean.” Girls have different body parts than boys. You may want to define terms like “uterus,” “vagina,” or “pregnancy.” Say, “These are all body parts that girls have that boys do not have. Uterus is a big word that means where a baby grows. Vagina is a word that tells us where babies leave the body, or where blood leaves if there is no baby. Pregnancy is what happens when a baby is growing inside a woman.” You can say, “Women and girls have different body parts than boys. This is because women can grow babies in their bodies and men cannot. These are the things that women have that men don’t.” With older boys, you may want to introduce common terminology related to women’s cycles. Clearly explain any newly introduced terminology. Some things you may want to explain include the words “period,” “menstruation,” or “cycle.” You may also want to include slang terms, like “time of the month,” “Aunt Flo,” or “moon/moon cycle,” as these terms may come up at school or within the boy’s social network. Keep your answers simple. If explaining the word period, say, “A period is something at the end of a sentence. But it can also mean  the time each month when a woman’s body cleans itself from the inside out. It’s a word that sums up a process that happens in a woman’s body.” Clearly communicate that there is nothing “wrong” with menstruation blood. It is not embarrassing, gross, or shameful. It doesn’t make a girl “dirty.” If your boys know that a girl is menstruating, tell them to treat her with respect and not to tease her or make her feel bad.  Say, “If you notice a girl has her period or has blood on her clothes, it’s important to treat her with respect. It’s not okay to tease her or make fun of her. Don’t say anything hurtful to her or anyone else. Remember that it’s normal to have a period.” Make sure they know that menstruation is totally normal and healthy.
Refer to menstruation positively. Talk about how the body cleans itself. Talk about body parts and functions. Explain new terminology. Teach your boys to treat menstruation with respect.