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India- based short film Period. End of Sentence just won an Oscar at the 91st Academy Awards on 24th February 2019. The 25-minute documentary, set in Uttar Pradesh s Hapur district and directed by Iranian American director Rayka Zehtabchi, revolves around a group of women who learn to use a machine that produces low-cost biodegradable sanitary pads. While the film brought fore the taboo around menstruation in India and how it has been a hindrance in providing women the access to basic hygiene, we need to start educating our daughters about this biological process at the right time.
Explain to your girl that menstruation is not a disease
Demystifying the misconceptions that your girl may have around period is very important. She may have already formed a perception about this biological condition as a terrible disease which makes her bleed and limits her existence. Emphasize that it is not a disease and that she can do just about anything that she does on other days. Share age-appropriate information with your daughter explaining what menstruation is. However, it's not wise to get into a detailed discussion about ovulation or female anatomy. But it is good to prepare her for common symptoms like cramps and queasiness.
Acquaint her with the sanitary products
Tell your girl about the different types of sanitary products she can use such as sanitary pads, tampons and menstrual cups. Educate her about the right way of using each. Improper usage can increase her chances of contracting UTI and other types of vaginal infections.
Show her how to correctly and cleanly dispose of the used pads in a dustbin and how to maintain hygiene during those days of the month.
Prepare your daughter to handle an unexpected period
Teach her what steps she should take if she gets her period unexpectedly. First and foremost, make her understand that it is normal to get a stain and there is no need to be embarrassed or ashamed. The next step is to teach her ways to make a sanitary napkin out of toilette paper. Suggest that she always carries an emergency period kit in her bag. It should contain a clean underwear, a couple of sanitary napkins or tampons, painkillers and maybe a pair of shorts or pants.
Involve the men of the family in the conversation
Involving the male members of your house in the discussion is very important to kill the stigma surrounding period. Otherwise, the restricted practice can condition her to think that it is disrespectful to talk about her period when around her father, brother or uncle. Normalizing periods for the men around is important to make your daughter feel comfortable enough to ask her father or brother to buy sanitary pads for her from the nearby drug store if the stock runs out.
Teach your daughter to support other girls also
Just educating your daughter about her condition is not enough. It is important to tell her that she needs to be sensitive to others' conditions as well. Educate her to always help other girls irrespective of whether she knows them or not. If she comes across an unknown girl with a stain then teach her how to inform politely. She can also offer her a napkin if she has it in her stock.