When we don’t talk about things, our tweens and teens notice the silence. That may be one reason why 71% of today’s teens ages 13-17 thought that periods were scary before experiencing it — and 77% of students believe that there needs to be more in-depth education about menstrual health (State of The Period survey). Silence can create uncertainty. So it’s time we start the conversation, because we can help the next generation choose to be more comfortable with their periods.
Moms across America, like Carly Anderson, Ana Flores, and Cara Cochran agree. They recently joined a number of other moms across the US to work with Thinx Teens to help destigmatize something that half the population experiences every month. Timed to the back-to-school season, this campaign fits into Thinx’s overall goal of ensuring teens are supplied with period products at home and school.
Carly shared her thoughts on Instagram, writing:
“I think we can all agree that we were taught to use these phrases because it felt a little….uncomfortable to talk about our menstrual cycles. So, teachers, coaches, and parents…..this is for US. It’s time to flip the script and to help the next generation of teens who have periods to feel more comfortable talking about this 100% normal part of our development.
It starts with how we talk and how we prepare. Reminder that elementary, middle and high school campuses have students who get a period. A great way to support teens being more comfortable with their periods? Be sure that they have period products on hand that are easy and comfortable to use.
As we gear up for the school year, consider making a donation of Thinx Teens to your local school nurse. Think Teens are a comfortable, non-invasive solution for period protection that can hold up to 5 regular tampons worth of blood. Honestly, I wish these were an option when I was in middle school (does anyone else remember the STRUGGLE of figuring all this out?!? Cringe). @thinxteens are washable and reusable and can reduce waste from disposable products”
We absolutely love Carly’s idea of making a donation of Thinx Teens to your local school nurse. Brilliant, Carly.
Thinx is changing the narrative around periods, because it’s an important conversation. It’s something that affects half the population, so why are we not talking about this?
Recently, Thinx launched a series of digital ads, “The New Language of Periods,” highlighting their Thinx Teens line and showcasing the importance of empowering teens and their parents to talk about periods in a more direct and unapologetic way.
The series of video ads showcases a range of real, honest period conversations: from a teen talking with her mom about her own period experience, to one laughing with a best friend who introduced her to Thinx Teens undies to help avoid period leaks (and at least some of the awkwardness of middle school).
Ana Flores and her daughter, Camila, model a great conversation about this topic. And Camila lets us in on what phrases Gen Z favors when it comes to talking about periods.
Ana Flores shares, “I sat with my daughter to have a chat about periods that I wish I could have had with my mom when I was a teen. I love how open and candid we can now be about a normal body function and how she feels wearing @thinxteens.” This conversation is truly a must watch.
And speaking of important conversations, meet Cara and her daughter Myla.
Cara shares, “Let's face it, we've all experienced a time where we've tried to hide our periods! Whether we've called them a different name (aunt flow, "that time of the month") tried to hide a certain period product (pads, tampons, cups)… we've all been guilty of this at some point in time! Well @thinxteens says enough is enough!! There's no reason to be ashamed to bleed!! ”
Conversations like these are why Thinx is focused on empowering the next generation of teens to feel so much more confident about their periods than we were. So let's get comfortable talking about periods and remove the shame and stigma! Let’s help this next generation take that power back.
Want More Ideas about How to Talk to Your Teen?
Keeley McNamara, a certified nurse midwife with a background in health education, offers these ideas.
Want to Check out Thinx Teens?
Click here to shop Thinx Teens, the non-invasive period solution that holds up to 5 regular tampons worth of flow. Thinx Teens are specifically designed for the bodies of teens and tweens. You can also shop the Thinx adult line of revolutionary period undies, or Thinx for All Leaks undies which are designed to protect against light and moderate bladder leaks.
