August 7, 2025 • 14 mins
Period positivity begins with open, informed conversations—especially as girls and young women head into a new school year and a new stage of life. For many, getting a first period marks a transition from childhood to adolescence, a moment that can feel both exciting and awkward. In this episode, Dr. Charis Chambers—an OB-GYN with fellowship training in pediatric and adolescent gynecology and founder of The Period Doctor platform—discusses how mothers and caregivers can foster dialogue with girls and young women that can build confidence and strengthen bonds. And how early education around menstruation can lead to lasting comfort and understanding across all stages of a woman’s life.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Each week, we aspire to bring you the good news
on women's health by talking to renowned scientists and medical experts,
and by sharing health advice that can help you live
healthier and happier. Today, we're talking to doctor Shari's Chambers
about how mothers and caregivers can foster dialogue with girls
and young women about periods that can build confidence and
(00:20):
strengthen bonds.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Doctor Sharis Chambers.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Is an obgyn with fellowship training in pediatric and adolescent gynecology.
She's also the founder of the Period Doctor platform that
seeks to educate young women on topics related to reproductive health,
and she's also the author of the upcoming book, The
Period and Puberty Parenting Revolution, which will be coming out
next year. We talked to doctor Chambers last week about
(00:44):
period power and why education about menstruation is foundational to
lifelong wellbeing, and.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
We're delighted to have her back. Welcome, doctor Chambers, Thank
you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
So why is it so important to talk about periods
early and how can those first conversations between caregivers and
girls really shape how they feel about their bodies.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, so, the idea that you should be talking about
reproductive health early kind of stems from what I think
is human logic. When we think about going through anything
in life, we do so with greater confidence and with
less anxiety if we are prepared. Too. Many girls still
today have their first period without even knowing what's going on.
(01:31):
Right that first drop of blood, they're like, am I dying? Truly?
I remember talking to my niece because I noticed that
she was going through puberty, and I was like, I
don't know if she's had to talk, but it would
be a shame if my very niece did not have
any type of awareness of what's going on. So I
just had a little FaceTime call with her and just said, hey,
have you noticed things? You know? And talk with her
about the changes. And she said, from her mouth, if
(01:53):
I had just started randomly bleeding, I would have thought
I was dying. And it was so precious because she
just that was HER's her stances. That's what makes sense.
So normalizing this process that to a child is going
to be weird. Why am I bleeding? And it's okay
whenever I bleed before it hurts. It's something that we
try to fix. We try to address it very quickly,
(02:15):
and we make sure that nothing else happen. Usually it's
associated with an accident or something that shouldn't have occurred.
But this is a different type of bleeding. And I
believe that caregivers are the best ones to introduce that
because they're the ones who've been nurturing and guiding their
children this whole time. Right, And so if the person
you trust who has guided you through every step of
(02:35):
your life says, hey, you got a new step, it
feels less, less jarring, less daunting, and it's the one
who's been holding your hand this whole journey, it just
makes sense.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Like you said, it's pure logic. So when is the
right time then to have this kind of conversation. How
early is too early or when is too late?
Speaker 2 (02:54):
My entire stance is, once I start bleeding, it is
too late. And it's not too late to talk about
it and to care about them and to address it
with consideration and compassion, But it's too late to have
them as prepared as they should be for this inevitable change.
And so the general guidances that reproductive health should be
introduced in early childhood, and early childhood is basically before
(03:18):
the age of like ten and eleven. Those kind of
seven to ten age years, and so when you think
about that, most people aren't quite in full blown puberty.
It's the time in which they've gone through toddlerhood kind
of younger childhood. But those changes are beginning to pop
up through there around the corner. I would argue that
there really isn't a too early time period. You do
(03:38):
want to make sure you're introducing things in a way
that your child can understand and that's appropriate for their
level of engagement and comprehension. So we know that all
kids are not the same, right, We aren't all at
the same maturity level, and sometimes we don't have all
the same tolerances as it relates to censories, right, and
so there might be someone who can't see a very
(03:59):
real life image book that might be a little much
for them. Maybe someone is going to do well if
you explain it by using an analogy or a picture
book with like little cartoons and diagrams that aren't too overwhelming.
And so introducing it according to your child and a
customized approach is the best guidance.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Makes so much sense, so age appropriate ways to introduce
the concept. So what are some of the best tips
for conversation starters. Sometimes caregivers might be a little hesitant. Yeah,
they might be a little shy about bringing up the conversation.
What's the right way to introduce it? And do you
have any tips?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yeah, so, I think the best tip is to one
for the caregiver to really take inventory of how they're
feeling and what biases and maybe even fears or traumas
they're carrying into this conversation. The other tip is to
start as early as possible if you have started super young.
And the reality is we're starting much younger than we realize,
because even when you are toilet training your child, when
(04:57):
you're potty training, you are teaching them how to care
for their body and the fact that the genitalia is
involved in body training, it actually is a part of
that reproductive health picture. And so when we've got a two,
you're always say you got to wipe your bottom, and
you wipe your bottom differently, and your brother doesn't necessarily
always have to wipe. Okay, you's to themselves differently because
your parts are different. So we've already introduced the differences
(05:19):
of parts as early as toilet training, and most of
us don't realize it. Right, let's talk about what you
have noticed. And if you make it okay to talk
about observations, especially body observations, in the safety of your home,
you make it a safe space, then they feel like
they can bring it up to you. They might even say, Hey,
this one girl in my class, she started her period,
(05:39):
you know, and you say, wow, let's use that opportunity astart,
you know, use that in. So whatever you are given
an in, especially an observational in, that removes the burden
on you to bring the subject up. You can just
walk into that open door with confidence and kind of
without shame.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Makes so much sense, and you kind of set up
that comfortable environment. Is there any language to be sure
you use or perhaps avoid?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So the language that I think matters when we're introducing
topics is not creating a fear based narrative. Right, While
these changes in our minds are equated to increase risks
for our child, it is just something new. And so
instead of leading with fears that we are mostly holding
(06:26):
for our children, we need to just start with the
education piece first. So education then protection. Right. If we
leave out the education and we go really really hard
with you can't do this and we can't and this
then the kids says, well, I can't even trust my body.
I can't trust the world around me. Something terrible has
happened and I am no longer safe. Right. But if
(06:47):
you say, hey, this is what's happening in your body.
We've got these parts. We talked about them since you
were little. Let me tell you a little bit about
those parts. You know how when we go to the beach,
certain parts are covered. Those are places that are actually
a little.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Last week when we were talking, you started to bring
up something that I think is so relevant to this conversation,
which is caregivers have to get comfortable and not feel
that these topics are taboo. Tell us a little bit
about that and what caregivers can do to get themselves ready,
and also how children are receiving this information today.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah. So I was on a call last week talking
with multi generations of women and we were talking about
demystifying and all of these taboo things. And there was
a woman on the call who was maybe in her
sixties said, I'm gonna admit, y'all, I still say my flower.
She said that on the call, and I really enjoyed
it because that transparency, that openness says, I'm actually letting
(07:47):
you know that I still carry something in me even
though I know cognitively, like I know that I should
be okay with saying vagina or volva or you know,
or labia, but something subconscious within me still wants to
use that flower piece. And so having conversations amongst ourselves
right where we can be vulnerable, where we can be imperfect,
(08:08):
that's an appropriate thing to do amongst ourselves.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
And in that process, I think probably a lot of
people maybe just don't know as much as they wish
they had known when they were growing up about their biology,
about this whole transition period and why it's also kind
of exciting. I mean, I think this idea that it's
sort of something that people don't want to talk about,
they want to avoid, is sort of putting a negative
cast on something that's really quite positive.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
What can we do to counter that? So you're right,
it is a positive thing. And if we think about
the development of puberty and periods as a normal milestone,
it is as normal as the social smile, as your
baby sitting up, as your baby learning to roll over,
all of those things, the losing of the baby teeth
and getting adult teeth. It is all very normal. And
(08:53):
so sometimes when parents are having a live of difficulty
accepting the inevitability of change, and they're grieving the baby
and all of those things that are that are appropriate emotions,
I talk to them about. Tell me what you would
feel if your daughter never went through puberty, if she
never started to change, if she was a child until
her you know, thirties and forties, that would be terribly concerning.
(09:16):
You'd be knocking and calling and making doctor's appointment. Because
this is a normal milestone, and so your readiness for
it and the trauma around it does not dictate whether
it's appropriate or not right it is appropriate. The only
thing you can change is how you respond, and so
by making sure that you get all of the tools
and resources you need to be ready to respond and
(09:39):
to show up as that informed, protective adult for your child,
that's how you, you know, approach this appropriately.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
So, what are some of the common questions that girls
or young women might have about menstruation that you hear
and how do you suggest caregivers address them?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
So one of the most common questions I hear, especially
from patients, is why why must I have a period?
You know, and it's one of my favorite questions because
it's just it speaks to the curiosity and innocence of children, right,
And so I tend to say, you know what, that
(10:17):
uterus doesn't know much about your dreams or your plans,
doesn't really care if you're wearing a white outfit or not,
doesn't have a calendar. It's just doing what it's here
to do. And let's talk about what it's here to do.
The uterus is where a baby would be growing, if
you were to grow a baby, or it's where the
period comes from. Right. It's an organ that sits low
(10:38):
in our pelvis, and it's there because we are the
people that are capable of carrying life both sides. We
got over reason, they send signals, and so we turn
it into essentially a physiology lesson lesson that talks and
fits into what they understand about life and existence. They
understand that they were born at some point, they had
a birthday, and that new people are born all the time,
(10:58):
and that this is a necessity in that cycle. And
so when you fit it into what makes sense in
their life, they say, Okay, I get that, fine, But
I like to say it's not that you are required
to do this. It is not that it is your
life's calling to have children. It is not that that
is your only value. Another question they often ask is, well,
will it hurt you know? Will will I have pain?
(11:21):
And oftentimes they're getting that because they've seen panting, They've
seen commercials that talk about period cramps and things which
are good. And we talk about how while periods are
totally normal, there can be discomfort. And this is a
great time for me to tell you when I really
want you to let someone know because your discomforts too much.
If you can't sleep, if you can't go to class,
if you can't participate in your sports, that discomfort is
(11:44):
too much, and so you need someone to give you
medication or give you a heating patter, something to help
you with that pain. And then maybe you need to
see a doctor about that pain. Right, And so I
tend to use those questions to counsel, certainly, and to
give them understanding and to educate, but to also say
this is what you should do when, or this is
what you should do if so it turns it into
(12:04):
a more positive conversation and a conversation that gives them
agency to affect change and make sure that they know
how to ask for help when they need it.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
I love that, love that, And I guess the other question,
obviously that's going to come up time and time again,
is now, what what should I do?
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Right?
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Like? How do I handle this?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
So?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
How do you suggest caregivers talk to their children about
the next steps now that it's here?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah, so I think the simplest, you know terms, are
the best ways to move forward. And so, hey, if
you're bleeding and we do nothing about it, what happens, Well,
we're probably going to get some blood on our favorite shorts,
we might get blood on our seat at school, So
how can we prevent that? How do we make sure
that we take care of that? Well, these are the options.
(12:47):
So I love that narrative. If we do nothing, what
does that look like? Are you comfortable with that? Probably not?
So how can we manage that? And so we're managing
it in a way that aligns with their personal goals
for themselves. It doesn't feel like this task that someone's
making me. Do they understand why they're doing it and
how that actually is honoring who they are and how
they want to show up in the world. So then
(13:08):
you can introduce these are paths, this is what mommy
uses sometimes, or these are tampons. This is something that
I use, especially when swimming. And so when you're talking
with your kid about next steps, make sure that you're
not giving them this prescribed type of instruction that removes
them from the picture, center them, censure their values, their desires,
and their comforts, and then frame the conversation around.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
That makes so much sense. Again, so wonderful to have
you on this show, so excited about your book coming out,
and really appreciate everything that you're doing for young women
and girls everywhere.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Thank you for joining us. Oh, thank you for having me.
It was my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
What great advice from doctor Chambers. Here are the top
takeaways from today. First, start the conversation early. Introducing the
topic of puberty and periods before they begin helps when
girls feel confident, not confused, and age appropriate education helps
build trust. Second, caregivers shape the story. Children absorb not
(14:11):
just what we say, but how we say it. Approaching
the topic with calm, clarity and compassion helps them feel
secure and confident in their bodies. Lastly, normalize, don't minimize.
Periods are a healthy milestone, not a burden. Treating them
like any other developmental stage helps reduce stigma and supports
(14:33):
long term well being. Thank you for listening and please
share today's episode with others in your life.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Have a great day.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, check out the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Each week, we aspire to bring you the good news
on women's health by talking to renowned scientists and medical experts,
and by sharing health advice that can help you live
healthier and happier. Today, we're talking to doctor Shari's Chambers
about how mothers and caregivers can foster dialogue with girls
and young women about periods that can build confidence and
(00:20):
strengthen bonds.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Doctor Sharis Chambers.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Is an obgyn with fellowship training in pediatric and adolescent gynecology.
She's also the founder of the Period Doctor platform that
seeks to educate young women on topics related to reproductive health,
and she's also the author of the upcoming book, The
Period and Puberty Parenting Revolution, which will be coming out
next year. We talked to doctor Chambers last week about
(00:44):
period power and why education about menstruation is foundational to
lifelong wellbeing, and.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
We're delighted to have her back. Welcome, doctor Chambers, Thank
you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
So why is it so important to talk about periods
early and how can those first conversations between caregivers and
girls really shape how they feel about their bodies.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, so, the idea that you should be talking about
reproductive health early kind of stems from what I think
is human logic. When we think about going through anything
in life, we do so with greater confidence and with
less anxiety if we are prepared. Too. Many girls still
today have their first period without even knowing what's going on.
(01:31):
Right that first drop of blood, they're like, am I dying? Truly?
I remember talking to my niece because I noticed that
she was going through puberty, and I was like, I
don't know if she's had to talk, but it would
be a shame if my very niece did not have
any type of awareness of what's going on. So I
just had a little FaceTime call with her and just said, hey,
have you noticed things? You know? And talk with her
about the changes. And she said, from her mouth, if
(01:53):
I had just started randomly bleeding, I would have thought
I was dying. And it was so precious because she
just that was HER's her stances. That's what makes sense.
So normalizing this process that to a child is going
to be weird. Why am I bleeding? And it's okay
whenever I bleed before it hurts. It's something that we
try to fix. We try to address it very quickly,
(02:15):
and we make sure that nothing else happen. Usually it's
associated with an accident or something that shouldn't have occurred.
But this is a different type of bleeding. And I
believe that caregivers are the best ones to introduce that
because they're the ones who've been nurturing and guiding their
children this whole time. Right, And so if the person
you trust who has guided you through every step of
(02:35):
your life says, hey, you got a new step, it
feels less, less jarring, less daunting, and it's the one
who's been holding your hand this whole journey, it just
makes sense.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Like you said, it's pure logic. So when is the
right time then to have this kind of conversation. How
early is too early or when is too late?
Speaker 2 (02:54):
My entire stance is, once I start bleeding, it is
too late. And it's not too late to talk about
it and to care about them and to address it
with consideration and compassion, But it's too late to have
them as prepared as they should be for this inevitable change.
And so the general guidances that reproductive health should be
introduced in early childhood, and early childhood is basically before
(03:18):
the age of like ten and eleven. Those kind of
seven to ten age years, and so when you think
about that, most people aren't quite in full blown puberty.
It's the time in which they've gone through toddlerhood kind
of younger childhood. But those changes are beginning to pop
up through there around the corner. I would argue that
there really isn't a too early time period. You do
(03:38):
want to make sure you're introducing things in a way
that your child can understand and that's appropriate for their
level of engagement and comprehension. So we know that all
kids are not the same, right, We aren't all at
the same maturity level, and sometimes we don't have all
the same tolerances as it relates to censories, right, and
so there might be someone who can't see a very
(03:59):
real life image book that might be a little much
for them. Maybe someone is going to do well if
you explain it by using an analogy or a picture
book with like little cartoons and diagrams that aren't too overwhelming.
And so introducing it according to your child and a
customized approach is the best guidance.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Makes so much sense, so age appropriate ways to introduce
the concept. So what are some of the best tips
for conversation starters. Sometimes caregivers might be a little hesitant. Yeah,
they might be a little shy about bringing up the conversation.
What's the right way to introduce it? And do you
have any tips?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yeah, so, I think the best tip is to one
for the caregiver to really take inventory of how they're
feeling and what biases and maybe even fears or traumas
they're carrying into this conversation. The other tip is to
start as early as possible if you have started super young.
And the reality is we're starting much younger than we realize,
because even when you are toilet training your child, when
(04:57):
you're potty training, you are teaching them how to care
for their body and the fact that the genitalia is
involved in body training, it actually is a part of
that reproductive health picture. And so when we've got a two,
you're always say you got to wipe your bottom, and
you wipe your bottom differently, and your brother doesn't necessarily
always have to wipe. Okay, you's to themselves differently because
your parts are different. So we've already introduced the differences
(05:19):
of parts as early as toilet training, and most of
us don't realize it. Right, let's talk about what you
have noticed. And if you make it okay to talk
about observations, especially body observations, in the safety of your home,
you make it a safe space, then they feel like
they can bring it up to you. They might even say, Hey,
this one girl in my class, she started her period,
(05:39):
you know, and you say, wow, let's use that opportunity astart,
you know, use that in. So whatever you are given
an in, especially an observational in, that removes the burden
on you to bring the subject up. You can just
walk into that open door with confidence and kind of
without shame.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Makes so much sense, and you kind of set up
that comfortable environment. Is there any language to be sure
you use or perhaps avoid?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So the language that I think matters when we're introducing
topics is not creating a fear based narrative. Right, While
these changes in our minds are equated to increase risks
for our child, it is just something new. And so
instead of leading with fears that we are mostly holding
(06:26):
for our children, we need to just start with the
education piece first. So education then protection. Right. If we
leave out the education and we go really really hard
with you can't do this and we can't and this
then the kids says, well, I can't even trust my body.
I can't trust the world around me. Something terrible has
happened and I am no longer safe. Right. But if
(06:47):
you say, hey, this is what's happening in your body.
We've got these parts. We talked about them since you
were little. Let me tell you a little bit about
those parts. You know how when we go to the beach,
certain parts are covered. Those are places that are actually
a little.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Last week when we were talking, you started to bring
up something that I think is so relevant to this conversation,
which is caregivers have to get comfortable and not feel
that these topics are taboo. Tell us a little bit
about that and what caregivers can do to get themselves ready,
and also how children are receiving this information today.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah. So I was on a call last week talking
with multi generations of women and we were talking about
demystifying and all of these taboo things. And there was
a woman on the call who was maybe in her
sixties said, I'm gonna admit, y'all, I still say my flower.
She said that on the call, and I really enjoyed
it because that transparency, that openness says, I'm actually letting
(07:47):
you know that I still carry something in me even
though I know cognitively, like I know that I should
be okay with saying vagina or volva or you know,
or labia, but something subconscious within me still wants to
use that flower piece. And so having conversations amongst ourselves
right where we can be vulnerable, where we can be imperfect,
(08:08):
that's an appropriate thing to do amongst ourselves.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
And in that process, I think probably a lot of
people maybe just don't know as much as they wish
they had known when they were growing up about their biology,
about this whole transition period and why it's also kind
of exciting. I mean, I think this idea that it's
sort of something that people don't want to talk about,
they want to avoid, is sort of putting a negative
cast on something that's really quite positive.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
What can we do to counter that? So you're right,
it is a positive thing. And if we think about
the development of puberty and periods as a normal milestone,
it is as normal as the social smile, as your
baby sitting up, as your baby learning to roll over,
all of those things, the losing of the baby teeth
and getting adult teeth. It is all very normal. And
(08:53):
so sometimes when parents are having a live of difficulty
accepting the inevitability of change, and they're grieving the baby
and all of those things that are that are appropriate emotions,
I talk to them about. Tell me what you would
feel if your daughter never went through puberty, if she
never started to change, if she was a child until
her you know, thirties and forties, that would be terribly concerning.
(09:16):
You'd be knocking and calling and making doctor's appointment. Because
this is a normal milestone, and so your readiness for
it and the trauma around it does not dictate whether
it's appropriate or not right it is appropriate. The only
thing you can change is how you respond, and so
by making sure that you get all of the tools
and resources you need to be ready to respond and
(09:39):
to show up as that informed, protective adult for your child,
that's how you, you know, approach this appropriately.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
So, what are some of the common questions that girls
or young women might have about menstruation that you hear
and how do you suggest caregivers address them?
Speaker 2 (09:56):
So one of the most common questions I hear, especially
from patients, is why why must I have a period?
You know, and it's one of my favorite questions because
it's just it speaks to the curiosity and innocence of children, right,
And so I tend to say, you know what, that
(10:17):
uterus doesn't know much about your dreams or your plans,
doesn't really care if you're wearing a white outfit or not,
doesn't have a calendar. It's just doing what it's here
to do. And let's talk about what it's here to do.
The uterus is where a baby would be growing, if
you were to grow a baby, or it's where the
period comes from. Right. It's an organ that sits low
(10:38):
in our pelvis, and it's there because we are the
people that are capable of carrying life both sides. We
got over reason, they send signals, and so we turn
it into essentially a physiology lesson lesson that talks and
fits into what they understand about life and existence. They
understand that they were born at some point, they had
a birthday, and that new people are born all the time,
(10:58):
and that this is a necessity in that cycle. And
so when you fit it into what makes sense in
their life, they say, Okay, I get that, fine, But
I like to say it's not that you are required
to do this. It is not that it is your
life's calling to have children. It is not that that
is your only value. Another question they often ask is, well,
will it hurt you know? Will will I have pain?
(11:21):
And oftentimes they're getting that because they've seen panting, They've
seen commercials that talk about period cramps and things which
are good. And we talk about how while periods are
totally normal, there can be discomfort. And this is a
great time for me to tell you when I really
want you to let someone know because your discomforts too much.
If you can't sleep, if you can't go to class,
if you can't participate in your sports, that discomfort is
(11:44):
too much, and so you need someone to give you
medication or give you a heating patter, something to help
you with that pain. And then maybe you need to
see a doctor about that pain. Right, And so I
tend to use those questions to counsel, certainly, and to
give them understanding and to educate, but to also say
this is what you should do when, or this is
what you should do if so it turns it into
(12:04):
a more positive conversation and a conversation that gives them
agency to affect change and make sure that they know
how to ask for help when they need it.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
I love that, love that, And I guess the other question,
obviously that's going to come up time and time again,
is now, what what should I do?
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Right?
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Like? How do I handle this?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
So?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
How do you suggest caregivers talk to their children about
the next steps now that it's here?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah, so I think the simplest, you know terms, are
the best ways to move forward. And so, hey, if
you're bleeding and we do nothing about it, what happens, Well,
we're probably going to get some blood on our favorite shorts,
we might get blood on our seat at school, So
how can we prevent that? How do we make sure
that we take care of that? Well, these are the options.
(12:47):
So I love that narrative. If we do nothing, what
does that look like? Are you comfortable with that? Probably not?
So how can we manage that? And so we're managing
it in a way that aligns with their personal goals
for themselves. It doesn't feel like this task that someone's
making me. Do they understand why they're doing it and
how that actually is honoring who they are and how
they want to show up in the world. So then
(13:08):
you can introduce these are paths, this is what mommy
uses sometimes, or these are tampons. This is something that
I use, especially when swimming. And so when you're talking
with your kid about next steps, make sure that you're
not giving them this prescribed type of instruction that removes
them from the picture, center them, censure their values, their desires,
and their comforts, and then frame the conversation around.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
That makes so much sense. Again, so wonderful to have
you on this show, so excited about your book coming out,
and really appreciate everything that you're doing for young women
and girls everywhere.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Thank you for joining us. Oh, thank you for having me.
It was my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
What great advice from doctor Chambers. Here are the top
takeaways from today. First, start the conversation early. Introducing the
topic of puberty and periods before they begin helps when
girls feel confident, not confused, and age appropriate education helps
build trust. Second, caregivers shape the story. Children absorb not
(14:11):
just what we say, but how we say it. Approaching
the topic with calm, clarity and compassion helps them feel
secure and confident in their bodies. Lastly, normalize, don't minimize.
Periods are a healthy milestone, not a burden. Treating them
like any other developmental stage helps reduce stigma and supports
(14:33):
long term well being. Thank you for listening and please
share today's episode with others in your life.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Have a great day.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, check out the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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