8 Tips to Talk to Young Athletes about Periods and Not F**k it Up

We need to better serve pre-teen and teen athletes around menstrual cycle empowerment.

A stat from Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman shocked me: 87% of female distance runners don’t talk to their coaches about periods.

But I don’t blame ‘em. Nobody wants to ask a period question when they’re not sure if what they’re experiencing is normal and when their prior conversation was “The Talk” (which was painful for everyone involved). 🙄

Here’s the thing: The more an athlete understands their body, the better they perform.

That means understanding all systems that impact performance: digestion, breath, sleep, strength training… and yes, menstrual cycles.

We do a disservice to athletes of all ages when we avoid period talk. And you’ve probably been on the disserved side yourself. Let’s break the chain now, yeah?

8 Principles to Help You Navigate Period Talk with Young Athletes

1 | Lead with curiosity.

By asking questions instead of giving statements, you offer an open dialogue where youth can take the conversation where they want to. Don’t assume what a kid does or doesn’t know. An open-ended question like, “Have you experienced X?” or “What do you think about Y?” could show that they know a lot more (or less) than you’d think. When you ask questions, it gives them permission to ask questions, too.

2 | Keep it casual.

Nobody likes “The Talk.” And, having one single “The Talk” isn’t always effective. Often, questions come up in the hours, days, and weeks after opening the dialogue, so multiple conversations help. Instead of a one-and-done, start early and casual. Watching a movie where a character gets her period? Ask your kid how they think the character feels. See a tampon dispenser in a public restroom? Note aloud about how nice it is to see them provided for free these days (or how frustrating it is that they’re not!). Periods are an ongoing conversation, not a formal one-timer.

3 | Normalize and neutralize language.

Let’s bury the euphemisms once and for all. No more “the curse.” No more “Aunt Flo” coming to visit. No more “my you-know-what.” Say it as it is! While we’re at it, let’s dump the negative attitude around anything menstrual cycles. Instead of, “Periods just suck but we all have to deal with it,” how about, “It’s a normal body function like breathing and digesting, and the more you understand it the better you can feel in your body.” Society is already bombarding us with negative period talk. Focusing on negatives does nothing to help empower menstruators. Neutral talk leaves room for positivity.

4 | Foster body literacy.

Every body part has an anatomical name, and teaching kids those words helps them clearly communicate when there’s an issue. When we call vaginas and penises “pee-pees,” how can a child communicate exactly where they’re feeling pain or itching? What if they could distinguish between the vulva, vagina, stomach, and uterus? The reproductive system is linked to the rest of the body. When we become more body literate in one area, it helps the others.

5 | Cover all options.

Menstrual products go far beyond pads and tampons. Every body– no matter the age– has preferences for different period products. And, different products work for different activities and environments. Show the breadth of options for staying comfortable and confident while on a period, and youth will be able to figure out what works for them.

6 | Differentiate between “normal” and “common.”

Just because it’s common, doesn’t mean it’s normal. Take extreme period pain, for example– you hear about it a lot, but that doesn’t make it healthy. Learn the signs and symptoms of a healthy period, and teach youth what could be pointing to something out of whack. If a teen doesn’t know what’s normal, they might go three weeks bleeding every day just because it happened to another friend.

7 | Highlight ovulation, not just the period!

The menstrual cycle needs a rebrand. It really should be called the ovulation cycle; you can’t have a period without having ovulated first. Yet many teens are terrified when they first notice the visual signs of ovulation, like the stretchy fluid in their underwear! Learn and explain the health benefits of ovulation. It supports bone health, healthy skin, energy, and so much more.

8 | Encourage cycle tracking.

At minimum, teens should record what days they get their period and how many days there are between the start of one period and the start of the next. The period is a vital sign. This easy to note data can be a huge help at doctors appointments or in finding a diagnosis. Teens who are apt to tracking may also note signs of ovulation, qualities of the period blood, or even how energy shifts throughout a cycle.

The more confident a young athlete feels in their body, the more confident they’ll feel in sport.

It’s my mission to help girls and women feel happy and healthy in their bodies so that we have the energy for the important things, like smashing the patriarchy.

Got a podcast I should be a guest on to spread the message? Tell a podcast host to reach out to me!