No advice on the girls.
But on the boys…my advice is to wait until they notice. Let them ask. Let them initiate the conversation.
I firmly believe that these more sensitive subjects are best handled when a child is actually ready…they’re “ready” to really understand and make sense of it.
My mom just called it a period and said girls do it every month and that was it
My daughter always walked in on me in bathroom and also I would always joke “gotta change my diaper” 
she ended up starting hers when she was 10 and it was kinda a breeze she didn’t freak out or anything…
how to explain to a boy… I’m not sure, not time for that yet
Care and keeping of you books and then discussed it with her
You tell them what will happen, how & why. Use proper terms & don’t sugar coat it. These are things our daughters need to know so they can take proper care of themselves.
You literally just say it all and explain with proper terminology. My kids learn as toddlers and get talked to about it randomly as they go.
Well first of all you need to use proper terms. For menstruation and body parts
Be open about it all along , it’s not something that needs to be hidden and then disclosed at some point.
Lol! I just had this talk with my son (11). We’re at the Waterpark and he wants me to join, I said “I can’t today there might be a shark there and they will chase me”, and he was like “why”? so I tried to explain it trying not sounding gross. I started “you know, every girls get this red thing coming out from their body every month…”, and he looked at me casually and said “you mean, Period?”
I was like, “yea, period” 
Lol! I just had this talk with my son (11). We’re at the Waterpark and he wants me to join, I said “I can’t today there might be a shark there and they will chase me”, and he was like “why”? so I tried to explain it trying not sounding gross. I started “you know, every girls get this red thing coming out from their body every month…”, and he looked at me casually and said “you mean, Period?”
I was like, “yea, period”
Well, mine walk into the bathroom without even a knock… soo they’ve seen what happens which lead to conversations. I’m pretty open about what goes on, so they know it’s normal and don’t even question it.
There a videos on YouTube about it that explains it to kids by age groups
Explain truthfully not little stories. My mom told me a story…nit relevant. Use proper terms when describing. Make it matter of fact. It’s no big deal, just life. Kids appreciate truth. If your comfortable, use diagrams (but not actual pictures,lol). Truthfulness and accuracy also prepares them for when they are older, ((((HUGS)))) good luck❤. I am happy you are asking how to address this with your kids🤗
I’d tell her the truth that it happens every month forever explain to her why it happens, what it means, and explain to her menopause everything she will need to know, pads, tampons, whatever the case tell the boys the same just not as much in depth.
My kids walked in one time accidentally when I was going to the washroom and changing my tampon. I had to explain it to them (4 and 5) now at 7 and 8 they understand it’s normal and happens monthly. They were slightly freaked out by the blood at first.
Be open and honest. I have 2 boys and a girl and they all know. Both through school and learning from home living with mum. All the best hunnie 
Get the American girl body book! It does a great job of explaining it. And you can sit down with her and go over it all together. As for the boys, just talk to them about it all in an age appropriate way.
Consistently talk about it. My girls and I have been talking about it for about a year now (oldest just turned 9 and youngest daughter will be 7 soon) we actually had a full blown discussion with my friend and her daughter this morning. We showed them pads tampons and the diva cup.
1st start by using the correct term…
My oldest got her’s and ask for pads she had health class that explained it. My youngest who knew because of her sister telling her all about it. The day the youngest started hers was her health class. The school gave the a bag with pads ect in it. She used those up came to me and said I need some pads, I thought she meant writing pads I ask how many? She looked at me and said I don’t know I guess buy 2 boxes? I looked at her and said 2 boxs? She said yes I think my period is worse than Sissys. She had been on her period 3 days and told no one.
I’ve come to notice looking at a few posts on this page we are all different when it comes to parenting. My daughter is 5 and we’ve had this discussion already due to a very embarrassing situation. She knows about pads and mom is crabby for a few days a month but what is a mom suppose to do when she points out in the supermarket mom is bleeding. We talked about it on the way home and answered questions she had. She knows that mom bleeds for a few days a month, that when mom is crabby it’s PMS and every woman goes through it. She asked me when it will happen to her and I said I don’t know every woman is different to which she replied “well that sucks.”
Tell her the truth about being a woman in the making and mother in the wings also the bus need to know also to be able to be good husband’s and fathers
It’s not a big deal, just tell them the truth, be factual. There’s no need to make a sing and dance about it when it’s just life.
my daughter is 9 and I’m dreading the talk idk why it’s not something I ever talked about either
When my youngest was still in pullups she told everyone I was still in diapers too. I used that to explain to her and my other 2 about periods. We also had a dog that had puppies last year so my 7 yr old son knows a decent amount of age appropriate info about the female cycle, reproduction and the birthing process.
Just be honest and technical. Allow questions. Dont act embarrassed or funny. Just the functionally factual
My youngest daughter walked in on my oldest one time during her cycle. She got curious and asked her. So they had their sisterly moment and sat down on the bathroom floor and had the talk. She was 8 at the time. I had no idea this even happened until I went to talk to my daughter about it. She was like yeah mom I already know. So I asked if she had any questions and she was like nope I’m good. I then bought a period book off amazon and I had my daughter and her friend read it because the friend is being raised by her dad. He said he didn’t know how to do the talk so he told me I could do it. After they read the book at their leisure I was there to answer any questions they had. They had a few but pretty much already knew everything.
My mother put a pamphlet on my bed about 2 years after I started my period, explaining the birds and bees (never mind I was raised on a farm) and periods! Great timing, mom!
I couldn’t do anything alone when mine were littles so it was a gradual progression based on their curiosity. By the time they started, they knew exactly what it was and what to do about it. My mom raised us the same way with my brother. Boys should know what it is too and that it’s a normal thing.
I was a single mama of four girls, marred I now have five. Their dad wasn’t in the pic and so it was up to me to do it all… naturally they came in as toddlers do being nosy in the bathroom and once they got much older there were times they’d barge in during a tampon or pad change especially after I gave birth. I was open and honest while remaining child friendly. They’ve seen animals born before and they’ve seen our female dog in heat. There are plenty of ways to have a natural and open/honest convo. I’ve explained how and why these things work. Same as I’ve taught them some mamas breastfeed and some use formula or do both and they know how that works. I allow them to answer questions or address anything they want. It’s worked fine for us
Use facts, and compassion. There’s absolutely no need for anyone to be embarrassed, ashamed. Emphasis respect and consideration. This is simply biology, and obviously information regarding the moon which has everything to do with cycles, without the moon none of us would have been born ( there’s no question about that). Although the " female anatomy" doesn’t define someone, but correct information about how it functions is helpful, that being said, not everything goes by the book. It’s just biology.
I pit together a kit for my daughter it was a cute little bag that had a change of underwear and some pads. I was very open with her about it because my mom was not. I told her what would happen and how she might feel and not to be afraid of it and it is something that happen when we are growing up. Also explain that is how we have babys!
We’ve just been open, honest & accurate. My 2 year old knows mommy gets her period & that it’s our bodies way of self-cleaning to keep us healthy & keep our bodies working the right way. I plan to teach my one year old son as well so he isn’t grossed out about it as an adult.
I was never told anything and started at age 9. I was given a jumbo pad of my mothers that stuck out front and back like baseballs and sent me on my way. I went to catholic school and was made to go to the cloak room and get my brown paper bag and go to the bathroom by myself before all the rest of the class. That wasn’t going to happen for my girls. I was upfront and honest with them. No funny names or bad innuendos. They knew at 8 and both were 9 when they started and by 11 using tampons. Both daughters have daughters and had the “matter of fact” attitude with them.
My mother was a nurse. She likened it to " percolating "… Yes like the old fashioned coffee pots… Blop… Blop… She also made me a little suitcase with pads and new undies and those God forsaken belts we had to use!! Then she baked my favorite cake when the day arrived that I became a WOMAN ( strawberry )… Oh the memories
Tell them the truth at an age appropriate level. Most kids already know about babies growing on a moms tummy. I told mine that the baby usually comes out of the moms vagina when its born (they were csections so explained that too) and then that every month the mommy’s body gets ready incase there is a baby by making a little nest from blood and tissue inside her for the possible baby to be comfortable. If there is no baby then the “nest” comes out the same way that the baby would - that is out the vagina. When they ask how a baby gets in there - mommys and daddy each give a half of the info (dna) to make the baby. Daddy’s contribution to the baby gets in the same way baby gets out - through the vagina.
Just always been open and honest. She asked when she was little why I had a pad and it just went from there.
My son definitely knows about periods and he is 7 yrs old. I have a bleeding condition which makes my period brutal and I cant hide it, even if I wanted to. Plus with a 7 yr old theres like no privacy in my house anyways lol.
Call it a period. It’s very important to teach children the proper terms for things. Be clinical and age appropriate.
Tell them what they need to know, but don’t tell them everything. Children can learn too much too fast, and it’s very upsetting for them.
My 5yr old walked into the toilet while I was changing my tampon and asked why I had blood everywhere (heavy bleeder). It kinda just went from there.
My mom never warned me never told me what would happen. Her excuse always was “I didn’t know it would happen at 11” I sat crying freaking out and had a terrible time in school because of it. My aunt got me a book when I was about 10 though that I was too ashamed and afraid to even look at… lol. WARN YOUR KIDS!!! If i had kids, I’d tell them around 9 years old. For sure to avoid what I went through.
My son is 9. And if he asks me anything I give him the honest straightforward answer. I feel it’s best to just talk about it normally like you would any other topic.
You talk about it honestly what will happen. It happens to all girls. My mom always said she would rather I asked her and get correct information than someone who may not give me accurate information.
The monthly dragon!? This is what im calling it from jow on… lol but its something that ive talked to my daughter about once i noticed she was starting puberty around 7-8. And i showed her how to apply a pad and made sure she had an emergency kit in her bag with a pair of underwear and pads in case she started at school.
I never used euphemistic words. Explained menstruation as such, monthly blood flow called a period. Just took 9 year old for annual check up and pediatrician gave her a pamphlet on puberty for males and females. Recommended a book.
When I was like 12 or 13 the boys on the bus heard us girls talking and they wanted to know too…so I told them what my mom taught me…I even took a tampon out of my purse and explained the whole deal…lol…ive always been pretty straightforward
My kids knew because they asked me questions when they saw … my kids were 9 and 10 when they got theirs
Get some pamphlets from dr? Or do they still have them?
Let them in the bathroom with ya…thats how my daughter knows, God forbid I can go to the bathroom by myself…lol .smh
In our house we call it shark week.
yes pleaseeeee educate your boys! its awesome you want to!!
Yes I’ve explained things to my son.
My eldest son ( 10) asked me what my tampons were at the dinner table. So him and my youngest (6) found out that in order for women to have babies there bodies change. And part of that change is kinda gross but natural. And that I use tampons when I am going threw my" body change" ( kept it short and sweet bc of the 6 year old) but after I took my eldest son to the side and explained that girl get their periods when they go through puberty, and girls and women will go through a time every month where they bleed from there lady area. And I reminded him that’s it’s 100% natural. And it’s ok to be kinda grossed out, bc girls are at first too. But again it’s natural and there is nothing bad or wrong about it. I didn’t go into full details but I thought I was honest enough for a 10 almost 11 year old. And also told him that puberty is a bit different for boys and that if he has questions on it that his dad would be better to talk to on that one. Idk if this will help or not but I wish you the best!
Howd y’all keep your daughters out if the bathroom. Mine has seen it all and questioned everything.
I have a son who is 13. I explained it to him so he’d understand my feminine products. . I taught him when was about nine I think. He understood quite well and it was not a big deal. I just acted like it was any other subject. Used correct terminology and didn’t make a joke of it. And added it was a pain the rear and to be thankful he never had to go through it because he was a boy. Now he’s pretty empathetic and knows when it’s “that time” 
Edit side note: I’m in awe of how many kids walked in on you all insuring a tampon. I always lock my door. That’s was and is about my only “private” time.
Sadly I wasn’t told anything about it till something happened and I got mine. Most awkward thing asking my mom what was going on. And I was given way to much information at once to the point it freaked me out. So just carefully easy into it slowly explain what’s going on and if she’s got questions to ask away and then maybe a plan or explain about products and how long they should be used for to not cause more problems.
I have 2 boys 11 and 15 and talk to them about it. I also make sure they know where my stuff is incase of a friend needing something… I knew a guy who was literally like u need to hide that stuff and not talk about it. Ummm what century is it? Dumb ass.
Draw a uterus and fallopian tubes and explain what happens… I did this for my boys all of them why not? They really want to know especially around 10 years old what’s happening to the girls around them… Why they become so aggressive and mean…haha true story… Why their sisters off the chain!!!.. Also about wet dreams just in case they think they peed the bed masturbation…they want to know all of that… You just say you are a preteen now and some of this will happen to you later probably when you’re 13 14 15 but in case you hear a bunch of garbage on the schoolyard you should know what’s true… Not everybody’s parents want to explain these things to their child some religions get really whacked out about masturbation so it’s not information that you shout to everyone else… their parents might want to keep these things a secret but I don’t… information is power kids and now you know what’s happening to the people around you and how your bodies work… If you do that at 11:10-12 whenever it feels appropriate for your child they come to you for the rest of their life with absolutely everything no subject is off limits ever because you started out that way with them.