I can't make this stuff up!

Specialties School

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I got my P&G order in. Yes we all know that is very exciting. But of course like every year the teachers do not want the children to have the booklets that tell about puberty. "It shows the body parts in there", "It says the words wet dreams!", "The parents will be mad if we give them these because they are too young!". Um teachers this is 7/8th stuff, most girls have started their cycles or are about to start, most boys have begun the awkwardness that is puberty. Heck we have several that have been pregnant in 8th grade. And the kids told me that several 8th graders were having sex. Maybe if we teach them what is going on and how their body works they would be knowledgeable about normal human function and not getting STDs or pregnant in middle school! It is exhausting every year hearing the same ole stuff from them. These kids are not babies! They are wondering what is going on with their bodies. They have smart phones in 3rd grade they can google this stuff.

Oh and they wont let me give out the tampons. So I guess Ill find somewhere to donate those. Anyone else have this problem or is it just me...

And no in this area most of the parents do not talk to their children about puberty/sex and they dont want the school to teach them. Its a "if we dont address it then they wont do it" kind of mentality. Ugh eye roll!

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

So my district has us preview the video with the parents every year. So every year we pick a day about a day or so before the scheduled class then send out a letter to those parents and invite them to view the video. Our high count was 12 parents coming, the low count was 3. Granted, the health teacher and I get paid for coming in at night to do this but that's besides the point. The videos are available on line. My idea was to create a google site incorporating the videos and some of the basic info along with email addresses for questions so that the parents could view at home at their leisure.

The thought occurred to me - What if the kids see it before their class? I am a bit on the fence - i mean their all have access to you tube - it's right there for the viewing the they search it.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Who won't let you give out tampons? We have gone round and round over tampons as well.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

For crying out loud... The video my corporation uses in 4TH GRADE uses the words nocturnal emisions and wet dreams!!! Imagine my momma heart break when I learned by sweet baby was going to hear those words. :'( I went home and told my husband, "This one's all on you!"

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The teachers and well the principles are all male so they dont even wanna talk about it.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

My two cents on tampons: I don't want to instruct the teenager on how to use the product, nor document "Student verbalized understanding to remove tampon in 6 hours" or however long the instructions are (I never look.....) Tampons come with a risk of TSS. We don't know who's growing what bacteria or about personal hygiene habits. Most of us have the "that" story about a tampon mishap (Not Old Dude, but most of the rest of us do). So I take the tampons P&G gives and keep them for teachers (not my responsibility there) or occasionally donate to the night shelter.

Also, since menses can start in the 4th grade now (yikes) - the adults who are not compassionate about this should not worry their heads about it. We'll just keep providing supplies while we can!

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My two cents on tampons: I don't want to instruct the teenager on how to use the product, nor document "Student verbalized understanding to remove tampon in 6 hours" or however long the instructions are (I never look.....) Tampons come with a risk of TSS. We don't know who's growing what bacteria or about personal hygiene habits. Most of us have the "that" story about a tampon mishap (Not Old Dude, but most of the rest of us do). So I take the tampons P&G gives and keep them for teachers (not my responsibility there) or occasionally donate to the night shelter.

Also, since menses can start in the 4th grade now (yikes) - the adults who are not compassionate about this should not worry their heads about it. We'll just keep providing supplies while we can!

Yes the teachers love me even more now! I was the Tampon Santa Clause yesterday. haha

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I don't understand why teachers would be freaking out - LOL....We do the P&G video for 5th grade - I send home a consent form with links to the video so parents can view at home. Those kids that return a "yes" consent get to watch the video and get the "party favor" & booklet. Is it possible to send home a consent form and have the home room teachers be responsible enough to collect and remove those students not allowed to watch?

I am at elementary and I have 2 students that I know of that use tampons - both are gymnasts & dancers. My own daughter (dance & swim team since Kinder) used them around 5/6th grade also - I wasn't a fan of it but it is what it is.

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I had a mom that told me all about everything but she had never used tampons so she would not let me. I begged her just for basketball practice and games because I truthfully had to wear both! She still said no. I was 15 at this time. My friends helped me and two of them would bring me bags of them and I would hide them in my gym bag. I would have loved it if someone could have given me some at school. Now of course I wouldnt have ran home and told mom a staff member gave them to me but at that point in my life I could not drive or buy them on my own. My mom had the best of intentions but after learning of my endometriosis and other female problems that ultimately led to a hysterectomy at 33 she felt bad that she hadnt listened to me about needed those. I guess my point is I worry there might be other girls like me that are messing up their clothes or running to the bathroom in between classes because Gosh Forbid we mention that females menstruate and might need extra help in that dept. I am not feminist by any means but this topic honestly gets me riled up. A 13 yr can consent to birth control without parent knowledge (here in my state anyway), an abortion, have a baby ect. But we cant let them choose which feminine hygiene products they prefer to use. Whew sorry got me riled up today. haha I'm Done!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I use a cup as my preferred method, but didn't even know about them until last year after a friend told me about it. Genuinely wished I had been exposed to them sooner. Not for instruction, but at least that they existed so I could have looked them up and maybe started using them sooner.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Infection Control/Geriatrics.

I agree with you. Tampons are dangerous when not used properly or changed on a timely basis. Girls that young are a bit clumsy inserting them anyway.

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