This month for my U by Kotex Tween Ambassador Post we are going to talk about hygiene and monthly maintenance!  This is one of the harder topics I had as a parent to cover when my daughter started.  I had to make sure she didn’t take it the wrong way or personal. I know she takes her hygiene serious so she didn’t understand why I felt the need to bring this subject up.  However, I think that it is very important that your daughter knows how important proper hygiene is and especially when she is on her period!  Of course girls usually have great hygiene but they don’t realize that they have to do a little more while they are on their periods.  As a mother we need to make sure they are aware when and how often to change their pad, prevent staining underwear and how to properly dispose their pad! Don’t expect your daughter to know how to do all this! Starting her period is new to her! So don’t forget to talk about the stuff that many forget to discuss..

My daughter is still very “light” when it comes to her period so she feels that she doesn’t need to change as often. As a woman and mother I disagree! I feel that she still needs to change her pad ever 2-3 hours during the day even on her light days.  I also make sure she uses “wet wipes” during this time. For me it’s more because changing pads often can help prevent any discomfort, bacteria build up, infection, and eliminate odor. It also helps to make sure the pad has not shifted or bunched up which could lead to stains or leaking on your clothes.

 Throwing away your pads properly!

Ladies there is nothing more nastier then going in the bathroom and seeing a bloody pad in the trash can or one that is wrapped up in toilet paper that has fell out on the floor! It takes 30 seconds or less to properly dispose your pads. Nobody wants to see that!  I will never understand why any woman young or old do this!  When you change your pad please use your package to WRAP your dirty one and use the sticker to close it like this below…

Always be prepared!

Usually you can track your period with a calendar or tracker on your smart phone.  This will give you an estimate on when to expect your period. However that’s not a guaranteed method!  So my word of advice is always carrying a pad in your purse or keep one in your locker at all times!

More Resources

Check out www.kotex.com/tween  this site is a great reference to prepare for your talk with your daughter. And don’t forget www.ubykotex.com/helloperiod  it has period questions that could be helpful for tweens and teens!

*I wrote this review while participating in a Brand Ambassador Campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of U by Kotex Tween and received products to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.*

As many of you know I am U by Kotex Tween Ambassador. This month we are going to talk about how to prepare your daughter so she won’t be embarrassed if she starts her period at school.  So think back when you were in school. I know you had to have at least one time when you started and was NOT PREPARED.   (I HAD MANY EMBARRASSING MOMENTS) Now think about what would have made it less embarrassing.  I think it’s very important that girls carry pads and other supplies at all times. My oldest daughter still doesn’t understand why I stress this. She is still at that stage where is she embarrassed about carrying a pad. However, thanks to the new U by Kotex tween pads that comes in bright fun colors she feels better about carrying them. The U by Kotex tween pads is small but also very absorbent.

As I shared with you last month, I pack any supplies that she may need in a cute make up bag. This allows her to keep it in her bag or throw it in her locker so it’s always there for her.  I also let her know that if she feels that she has started her period at school, she should ask her teacher to go to the bathroom. This allows her to go to the bathroom when it’s “not so busy” so she don’t feel embarrassed or rushed.  So far so good! She has only started at school one time but luckily she was prepared and didn’t need to call home.  Since she has gym the whole year she always has a pair of change out clothes in her Gym bag she can use in case she does have an accident. Let’s face it even as adults it’s very embarrassing to learn you started your period and not prepared for.

I am also trying to help her learn the signs to watch for before starting. She usually has cramps and don’t feel well a couple of days before. Now, she has started wearing pads on those days that she thinks she might start. We are also using an app on her phone so she can track her periods. Since she has become somewhat regular that also helps us try to plan for the big start day.

Make sure your daughter knows she isn’t alone and it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. A great site to share with her would be the U by Kotex website page. This site has   a lot of period questions that could be helpful for tweens and teens.  And for parents www.kotex.com/tween has great references to prepare for your talk with your daughter if you haven’t started the talk yet.  The more your daughter is prepared the better it will be!

*I wrote this review while participating in a Brand Ambassador Campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of U by Kotex Tween and received products to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate*

The stories have become more commonplace and even more tragic in recent years.

Just as a business worries about onlinereputationnews, many kids are worried about the reputation they are getting on the Internet these days, oftentimes being taunted, called hurtful names, and even threatened. For a number of them, such actions lead to them taking drastic steps like suicide to halt the attacks.

For older parents, those that may have dealt with a childhood bully on their school playground a few decades back, today’s kids oftentimes are subjected to online bullying that can strike 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

So, how rampant is cyber bullying and how can it be prevented in the first place?

According to a January 2012 Ipsospoll, one in 10 parents online (12%) around the world say their child has experienced cyberbullying while one in four (26%) report they know a child in their community who has gone through the same. Of those, a majority (60%) claim the children experienced the harassing behavior on social networking sites like Facebook.

In order to lessen the chances and even prevent cyber bullying from happening in many cases, there are things parents can do.

Among them:

1. Talk it out – While some parents may be afraid to have a discussion with their child over cyber bullying, doing nothing about it is even worse. As many individuals have discovered from the tragic suicide cases that gained national and world headlines from different cyber bullying incidents, not intervening in time  is something that will haunt some parents the rest of their lives. If you see significant mood changes with your child, get reports from a teacher or teachers that their grades are slipping or if they suddenly seem withdrawn and removed from friends, ask them why. Not inquiring may be the biggest mistake you make;

 2. Talk to others – In some instances, children will be able to hide the fact from their loved ones that they are victims of cyberbullying. Being able to hide it from everyone is much more difficult. If you see changes in your child, talk to their teachers, their friends, others that they may be confiding in. While your child may be hesitant to discuss the matter with you, there is likely someone out there who knows what is going on;

3. Go online for solutions – Even though it may come across as snooping, checking your child’s computer and/or cell phone could very well provide you with clues, especially in cases where a younger child is involved. If you have their password to gain online access for example, do not be afraid to use it if you notice a change in your child. A little snooping here and there is not nearly as bad as getting a call from the police or hospital that something tragic has happened to your child. Keep the lines of communication with your child open, but do not hesitate to become more involved if the matter warrants;

4. Keep information personal – The last thing your child wants to happen is have the entire world (at least the world around them) know he or she is being bullied. Do not announce it to the world, rather seek whatever assistance is needed through your family, the schools, counseling, etc. Given that the majority of children bullied online typically fall in the 9 to 14 age range, instruct your kids from the moment they first learn how to work a computer to keep their private information such as computer passwords, home addresses etc. to themselves;

5. Avoid direct confrontation with the cyber bully – Although many parents would probably like to deal one-on-one with their child’s cyber bully directly, that is the last thing you need to do. It is best that you involve the schools, online services like Google and Facebook, and even law enforcement if necessary to bring an end to it. Confronting the other child and/or their parents sets up a possible issue between you and them that can get ugly;

6. Set online rules – Finally, make sure your child knows there are rules in place in the home for being online. If there are certain sites you do not want them on, either tell them that right up front or have filters in place to block such sites. While you can’t monitor your child 24/7 on the web since they may use computers outside your home during the day, you can let them know what is and is not acceptable under your roof.

Given that your child means more to you than anything else, preventing them from falling prey to a cyber bully should be a top priority in today’s Internet world