A Period Piece: Kids Need to Know About Menstruation! 

“Camp Camp isn’t a kids show!” Yes, I know, I literally never said it was. It’s in here because the whole episode is about how Nikki thinks she’s dying before she gets the correct information.

I heard that there are still some grown men that still think that having periods is like peeing and they are confused on why can't girls just hold it in, this is another reason why it is important to educate people

I swear, anyone who says "it's the parent's job to teach their kids about this" do not, in fact, teach their kids about it.

I feel like I as a boy growing up was highly uneducated on this topic, in fact, our school specifically asked all boys to leave the classroom when they talked about this to girls exclusively and they were told not to tell any boys about the stuff they were just taught, this among other factors made me very ignorant of this for most of my teenagehood I would say, I spent half of my teenagehood unaware of the fact that women go through this, and do you think I found out about this through school? No, memes, I found out and learned about menstruation through memes.

The day I got my period has become a tale on my family. I was 9. I had already got basic sex ed (even since kindergatten) and I just walked up to my grandparents bedroom with my pajamas drenched in blood at 4 am. "What needed to happen has just happened." I said to my terrified grandmother. It was actually my GRANDFATHER who kept calm. He told me to get a shower while he got to the store to buy me pads. My poor grams was still in shock after all of it happened. But I find it quite funny how despite everything it was the only man in the house the one who understood at glance.

You know it's sad when me, a cisgender gay man, knows more about female anatomy and biology that some PARENTS do, like how do you mess up that hard?

This was unfortunately the world I grew up in. I always had my mom to rely on for female stuff, but I lived with two brothers and a dad who was EXTREMELY uncomfortable about any female anatomy. And when I started realizing I had a more serious condition, I felt like I couldn't talk about it because it would just make other people uncomfortable, and that just led to my condition getting worse.

I’m a grown man and I don’t think periods should be uncomfortable to talk about. I still live with my parents and I deal with my mom still having her periods. Hell I’ve bought tampons for her before

I was 9 when I got my period. I had cramps all morning but ignored it cause I had a test later in the day. When I went to the bathroom before lunch I had blood running down my legs. Needless to say, I freaked out. My friends were outside waiting for me and when I said I was bleeding they told me that it was my period, they also told me that I was too young for it so I must have cancer. Went to the nurses office sobbing, convinced I was dying and she told me where the pads and tampons were but didn’t explain what to do so I just sat there covered in blood waiting for my mom to get off work so she could pick me up. Threw up out of anxiety a few times while I was waiting too. All of that could have been avoided if it wasn’t considered ‘taboo’. How in the world is it 2023 and people still act like this about something half the population experiences??

I remember when someone kept arguing to me about how "cartoons cant teach kids about real world things! Its the parent's and schools job!" Like... honey

I had my first period at age 8. It's freaking WILD that some people think a kid is too young to learn about something despite being old enough to experience it.

I can’t believe we’re 2023 and people still believe periods are this taboo topic that should not be discussed, I remember after Turning Red came out and I saw these parents who were so angry over Turning Red talking about periods, and good lord did it make me grateful that my mom never had that mentality, I was around ten or eleven when my mom sat me down and had the period talk with me (along with two books on hand for me to better understand what was going to happen to my body) so when I got my first period in a train station bathroom, I knew what was going on. Periods are not an adult topic, periods come when you are still a child, AND KIDS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT BEFORE IT HAPPENS! Also something I loved about ‘A Period Place’ is not only them normalizing talking about periods, but them normalizing dads handling periods, all too often in media men are made out to be super squeamish when it comes to anything to do with female puberty, so I loved what they did with Pete in ‘A Period Place’ first when he thinks Molly is the one who got her period, and he doesn’t freak out in anyway, he’s calm and collected and ready with pamphlets to talk to Molly, and of course, the b plot of the episode is Pete going above and beyond to make sure Libby is comfortable, what a great episode! I have a clear memory in fourth grade about a health teacher talking to all the girls in my class about periods, and how she told us that no one talked to her about her period, which led to her thinking she was dying when she got her first period, which is exactly this is a discussion that needs to happen before you get it, over half the population of people on our earth get periods, it’s a normal thing and should be treated as such, and talking about it makes it feel less scary when it happens, so if a parent happens to stumble upon this comment, the bottoms line of my essay of a comment is: TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT PERIODS BEFORE IT COMES!

in the ghost and molly mcgee i loved the way that mollys dad was so supportive when he thought that she started menstruating. it’s nice to see male characters just being really chill and supportive about the whole thing.

I grew up in a Christian conservative house And knew nothing about the period except "that mom gets moody once a month" My girlfriend sat me down and forced me to learn everything she knew about periods. At the time I was confused and baffled by what I learned. And I'm so glad she did it We've been dating for 6 years now and I'm planning on proposing by the end of the year.

“HOW DO I EXPLAIN TO MY CHILDREN THAT SKELETONS ARE INSIDE OF PEOPLE!?”

I got my period at ten years, and I was surprisingly calm despite not knowing what a period was. I was just like, “whelp, time to go to the hospital.” I told my mom later that day and she was like, “oh yeah, it’s totally normal.” My mom and dad made me go through so many puberty videos (same with my brother), and my teachers were really on me about it. The girls thought I was cool, while I was confused on why this was such a big deal. I mean, yeah, I got my period, you’ll get one, too. Most of my best friends were late bloomers, and I had to be the big sister and make them feel comfortable.

This happened when i was a kid/preteen so i dont remember precisely. In my country there used to be a skit/educational part of a weekly show for kids at school where there was a person playing a Doctor who talked about the human body, including puberty in a fun yet educational way, including wet dreams and menstruation. The whole class loved it, we'd all sometimes even clap when the bit was over. But it got canceled due to it being 'too much for kids' and we all got angry

While the episode period piece is an good way to introduce menstruation without going into full details, I personally enjoyed that episode mainly because of how Andrea and Libby actually became better friends, while also helping with the Molly situation.

Im a very conservative person and the fact that parents are getting mad at kids knowing what periods are is just so messed up 💀

I got my first period when I was about eleven. A few years before that…. I remember my mom warning me that I might get my first period soon. She didn’t have to go into “Full Sex Ed Detail” she just simply told me (When women get older they start to bleed out of their private parts) My mom treated it like it was normal and casual. Of course when I got my first few periods I was extremely embarrassed when I had to rip my pad off in the bathroom, I live with my big sister and for some reason I was just really embarrassed to let her know what was going on, but eventually I got used to it, and I’m not embarrassed when I get my period anymore. It’s absolutely DISGUSTING That some people think talking to kids about their bodies equals “Grooming” How is it that in cartoons people are allowed to make jokes about children Peeing, pooping, and farting, but when periods are talked about in a calm, respectful way it’s automatically sexual and taboo?

As a menstruating person, it is wild that we're so freaked out by something that half the human population experiences on a monthly basis. In my mind, I equate some of that stigma to how people feel about poop or pee. Yeah, we all do it, but that doesn't mean that people want to hear about it. But at the same time, we still acknowledge poop and pee, we make jokes about poop and pee. There's the whole stock episode in shows about someone desperately needing to go pee and not being able to find a potty, or taking a dump and realizing they're out of toilet paper. We're very comfortable bringing up toilet paper in media, that's not a taboo. Why is it off limits to mention pads, or panty liners, or tampons? Why is that cause for a moral panic?

Got my period a little after I turned 11. What they don’t usually tell you is that sometimes the period starts brown. I looked and went “well this is happening now.” Told my mom three days later and she sat me down and explained the period thing to me again. I was shocked because I thought I’d get it later in life since she got hers at 15 😃. I never got any cramps until around 13 when cramps finally started happening

My mum first told me about periods when I was about 7 and people definitely overestimate how shocking it is for a kid. Like when you're a kid you learn so many new things that in reality stuff like that seems a lot less out there than people would think, or at least that's how I felt. Granted since schools didn't educate on periods until I had social media access at like 10 I had kinda mixed up ideas of what the pain would be like 😭 but then as soon as I could watch yt vids on period stories and stuff I knew exactly what it would be like. I got it at 12 and was pretty unbothered thanks to hearing about others experiences. I can't imagine not knowing anything until the day it arrives 😭😭 education on this stuff is so important and the weird purity culture around it gets more gross the more you think about it. One of my biggest pet peeves is the protection around young boys learning about it, like what about learning about periods is gonna harm them? They don't even have to worry about the pain and being unprepared 😭 Though showing first period stories is important i kinda wish more period topics were explored. Something I don't see a lot is the expectation to shut up and deal with the pain once you've reached a certain age. It's often perpetuated by older women too. It was often me and my friends experience that in school we would be like 14 with awful pain and we weren't allowed to leave because it wasn't a valid reason, and would just have to sit in pain without access to painkillers. And it was oddly always the female teachers who would tell you that eventually you have to just learn to deal because employers and wider society don't really consider it impairment.. def more of a tough love approach but it still sucked ass that this was coming from the same people who were supposed to empathise. Would be a cool nuanced topic i think

i'm really happy we're getting more media aimed at kids that talks about this sort of thing! i was 11 when i got my first period, and while i knew what was happening, i had NO IDEA what i was supposed to do about it. i was at a school-sponsored camp where i wasn't allowed to call home to "simulate being in nature", and i was too scared to ask anyone but my mom and my closest friends for advice (and neither of my friends had gotten their periods yet). had i seen something like the molly mcgee episode or the baymax episode, i think i would have been a lot more prepared and even be able to enjoy the camp.

"Eughh Disney leave our kids alone" NO! Stop hiding things from kids!! They need to know these things! I dont understand why people are so disturbed and want to hide things like periods from their children. Im forever greatful that my Mum was so helpful and kind when i started my period~

I think it makes complete sense to actually mention periods in a show like Baymax. It’s a story about a healthcare robot assisting people with medical needs, so this subject is perfectly at home here. I also was aware that girls can get periods as young as 9 and Baymax is rated 9+.

People who think it is grooming to educate kids on normal body functions like periods are 100% projecting because they are too immature to handle the topic without being weird/perverse about it. You can sus out a person’s twisted perspective based on what insane assumptions they assume other people operate identical to themselves.

As a dude, just the thought of blood coming from the genital area is enough to make me squirm (I'm a little squeamish when it comes to blood), but I can't imagine the agony women go through, when having them. Even worse when it happens to them on a monthly basis. Women, I am so sorry you all had to endure that kind of pain, when dealing with them.

I felt uncomfortable about periods because I did not understand them. No one really sat me down to talk about them either. So when It came around the time to begin to talk about them, I came across as missinformed and ignorant on what to do given the situation. It is important to assess people over health matters and stop treating biology as a matter of preference on what topics to speak of. Information is the only reliable thing we produce as a species and have lately been taking it for granted.

One detail I love about the Molly McGee episode is how Libby starts off being all embarassed, trying to be discreet by whispering to Molly and using euphanisms like "my time of the month" and "Aunt Flow is visiting", but then when Andrea just flat-out says "period" and treats it as no big deal, Libby herself becomes more comfortable with just openly talking about periods and not feeling so self-concious about it. It highlights the importance of just treating it like the normal thing it is. Periods are only awkward if you make it awkward, it's only difficult to talk about if you make it difficult to talk about it. Just normalise it and talk about it the way you would talk about pimples or facial hair and it really becomes no big deal. Something I've noticed is that people don't have anywhere near the same reaction when it comes to male puberty. Like parents don't freak out when a show references voice cracks, hair in new places, mood swings or acting different around girls. Gravity Falls even did an episode when Stan teaches "Dipper" (who is actually Mabel in Dipper's body) about it, and while they do the typical joke of "goodbye innocence", at the end it actually helps her understand Dipper's mindset somewhat. Interestingly, All Grown Up did an episode where Phil begins noticing girls' bodies, and Lil is taken by her mum to buy her first bra, which leads to an awkward moment where Phil walks in on Lil trying on her new bra and the two being uncomfortable around each other for the next few days. As far as I can tell there was never any backlash over that episode. Dunno if people were just less-sensitive then or if it just flew under peoples' radars, but I gotta wonder if it would've been any different if the episode also touched on periods.

I just lost it at the dramatic readings of the Turning Red reviews, had to pause the video to get my laughs out! 😂 My period happened when I was 9, but I was lucky enough that I had an older sister who let me read the pamphlets she brought home from school. Years later my mom was appalled at herself for not seeing the signs sooner (I just quietly took pads from my mom's supply and didn't say anything for a couple years) and having any sort of talk with me. But there was a lot going on in our family, so I can see how it slipped her mind. If I ever have a daughter, I would love to make her a little kit for this sort of thing. Sew her a bag that looks like her favorite animal, that can be stocked with pads, tampons, liners, medications and a little pocket for snacks. Then, if she gets her period as young as I did, she can have a stuffed animal friend to remind her she doesn’t have to pressure herself to grow up, and she can still enjoy being a kid.

I am so glad you included the Camp Camp period episode! It is one of my favorite Camp Camp episodes just on how accurate Nicki’s pains are, and every kid just not knowing what it is because most are on the younger side and are just not going to think of it at first. I totally agree that periods need to be talked about more in media because it is normal and to act like it is some disgusting, taboo thing is not gonna help anyone. Especially not girls who just suddenly get their periods out of nowhere and have no idea what to do.

I remember when my brother and I were small and saw that our older cousin wore a pad and we called it a “diaper for women”, I don’t remember how small were back then. Well I grew up and I remember the shock and worry of my other younger brother when he walked into the bathroom and saw me with a bloody pad and toilet paper with blood, the poor thing thought that I had a injury or something, I explained to him that this happens to older women once a month, it does hurt but eventually stops and you get back to normal, and he took it so well, and when I tell him that I have pain because of my period he pats me and hugs me, he’s so cute,and empathetic, and I didn’t even explained the nuances of the uterus and how it works and all, “this happens to older girls once a month for a few days and then it’s over” it’s all he needed to know (he was like 6 at the time, now 10). On the other side my older brother (20 yr) gets so grossed out by seeing the used toilet paper with blood, and over all finds me gross when I’m on my period. Education for everyone, that will impact how they will treat people who menstruate.

Parents lashing out about Turning Red apparently have never heard of a “Coming of Age” story… I mean, this isn’t a new thing at all! I’m glad periods are becoming MORE normalized in media instead of being treated as taboo, but it’s not like this is only a recent thing. I remember watching My Girl when I was 13 and the part where the main character gets her period helped me feel so validated at the time. Even if it was only a brief scene.

I remember my first period. Before it even happened, my mom handed me that one American girl book and told me to go nuts. As a probably ten year old kid, I flipped through the pages and never touched that book again. She didn't ask questions. She didn't make sure I understood what I read. I ended up having my period while I was away from home, being left to suffer in silence while I prayed blood wouldn't get on my clothes. I eventually did get that short talk with her, but that never took away from the fear I had when it finally happened. That's why talk about menstruation in cartoons is so damn important. I wish I had this kind of representation as a kid.. maybe then, I wouldn't have been so scared to speak up.

I really don't get why it was ever controversial, we teach little kids about "going potty" at early age but it's suddenly the end of times when somebody brings up another natural body function. Does the problem come from "ew girls icky" kindergarten mentality? If that's the case I think it explains a lot of other issues.

periods normally occur at age 9 at the earliest, but (although rarely) can occur as early as age 5. I think educating young girls on why they are bleeding for no apparent reason should be more important than avoiding awkward or uncomfortable conversations. As for the boys learning about them, not saying you should force them to learn about it, but it is something good to learn about sooner rather than later.

I can understand why people find it sort of uncomfortable, but it's something that every girl has to learn about at some point. As someone who has ADHD, during school when they talked about stuff like this, I didnt pay attention because I was bored, and I was just in my own mind (my fault there lol) However, on the day I got it, I was freaking out like crazy. If I have learned about this sorta thing sooner, then I probably wouldn’t freak out as much. Thats why I like media that presents situations like these, like movie and TV shows. Because for one, kids will pay more attention to movies and stuff other than boring presentation slideshow that my school did, and they could also just get a better understanding without having to go too deep into it. Along with the fact that it's something you don't have to worry about until it comes. It's not like you have to think about it every day, its just more of something to keep in the back of your mind until the time comes.

I cant thank you enough for keeping your language inclusive towards afab trans people. lots of times people forget we go through menstruation too.

1. Whoever read the movie review did a 10/10 job, that was flipping hilarious. 2. Once they know more about periods, kids will not be as freaked out! I’m a good example: I first started learning about periods when I was around 7-8. I grew faster then other kids, and my mom wanted to prep me early on. When I was young and didn’t know too much, I was exited to get my period, mainly because it was some mysterious thing. However, when I grew older and got mine during a softball game(age 11) I was just like “ok, this is my life now” due to my more broad knowledge. So yes, learning about periods makes all the difference, and also helps to de escalate the situation!:D

I love it when shows explore aspects like this, it helps kids be more prepared if/when they actually go through things like this

I always find it weird that cartoons have been making pee and poop and burp and fart jokes for decades and thats fine but periods are weird and taboo for some reason? I think it's because it has to do with women's private areas.... even though the same thing applies to pee? It's very odd.

Thank you for covering this, I used to be so squeamish about my period until I reached my late teens and realized I wanted to go into medicine, namely women’s health and the OBGYN/GYN field and I realized I had to stop being so scared about it not just for me but for other people who menstruate who are scared and it’s nice to have more shows to show to help explain things, also yes more love to camp camp! The fandoms a mess but the show can be genuinely quite earnest and it’s coming back for more episodes, I’d recommend the back half of parents day! Anyway lovely video, keep doing what you’re doing, cheers!

I'm not sure if this is a cultural thing, my family in particular, the fact that I'm autistic or the fact that I will never menstruate, but periods are... like... normal. I've never seen someone irl treat it like a sensitive topic, or disgusted, or feeling coyed by talking about it. All my family members would talk about it, would explain it when asked, I remember classmates actually saying that they're on their period as an explanation for not feeling like hanging out that particular day (or skipping gym class), etc, etc. But of course, nothing is perfect. Multiple times have I heard period jokes and comments that are very, very misogynistic. Some people, not just men but women as well, will accuse someone of having their period when being called a jerk, which is the jerkest thing anyone could say, imo. I hope these negative views on menstruation will disappear soon because, honestly, they're all very silly.

Yes, for goodness' sake, normalize this stuff. Back in school it felt like nobody must ever know when you're on your period. Planning beforehand which break you'd change your pad because it had to be one where you'd change classrooms, so you'd have your backpack with you when you went to the bathroom. Worrying whether someone could see it when wearing P.E. clothes. Or much rather stuffing your underwear with toilet paper than asking someone else for a pad... From a logical point of view it was all really silly, but the "it's embarrassing and disgusting" mindset was strong.

As a cis girl, I absolutely adored a period piece. It was one of the healthiest ways of looking at menstruation through the eyes of a kid I had seen in a while (along with turning red ofc). So when I started looking online and saw the takes that Pete was a BAD father for being supportive of Molly through this time (even though it wasn’t technically her time yet lol) I was extremely confused. I have an older sister and live primarily at my moms house, so period talks and asking each other for pads was very common growing up. I talked about it with my mom and sister more than my dad, but he was still included in conversations and would buy me supplies if I ran out. Point that I’m trying to make here is that if you are reading this and think that it was “bad parenting” or smth from Pete, I would like to point out that you are OBJECTIVELY WRONG. :)

When I got my first period, I was really scared about what was happening to me. I thought that I was dying and kept it from my mom but when I finally told her, she led me to her bathroom and handed me some pads. She just explained that I was on my period and that it was completely normal and every girl goes through this. She showed me how to put on a pad, told me how long they lasted and when they’ll come back. And the thing is, I didn’t really remember school teaching me this, all I remember is that one day I was gonna be carrying a baby and I needed to keep my body healthy but baby me was like “Eh, that’s future me’s problem”

As a kid, I only ever had ONE discussion of periods and how they work and what they are. And it was at school, in the fourth grade, when I was undiagnosed for ADHD and barely paid attention, and the only info I got out of that is that eventually for girls blood starts coming out of you. Only I thought it would be all the time, not for a few days each month. When I later had my first period in the summer of 5th grade, I had no idea what was going on(especially considering I didn't know period blood could vary in color). I thought it was some sort of weird sickness, and I didn't want to talk about it because I was embarrassed of the symptoms. I thought I could handle it on my own, and, though I definitely could, I still should have told at least someone what was going on. Though I wouldn't admit it at the time, I was scared and confused, and I only realized what was really going on when I hit it again a few months later at my dad's and the blood actually resembled blood to my tiny, 0 IQ child brain. What I dealt with was pretty bad for anyone afab to experience. But I'm not the worst case scenario. There are people out there who didn't learn until much later on, and even worse being people who never even got the chance to know. I've heard stories of people who even got bullied when they got their first period(especially early bloomers like me). The fact that some kids had to and still do have to go through this stuff is fucking depressing. We can only hope that things will get better in the future. They probably will, but with some of the bs laws they're trying to pass in the US right now, we'll never know.

Seriously though, the first time I ever got my period (9 years old) I thought I was dying due to how much I was bleeding/pain I was feeling. I had/have deeply conservative parents that didn't bother to teach me a single thing about what menstruation cycles were, what to expect (symptoms-wise), and how I eventually was going to start having them. I remember sobbing and curling up under my bed in my blood soaked underwear just hoping that everything would just stop or that I would pass soon just to stop the immense pain. After a couple of hours, my Dad finally went looking for me and found me under the bed; asking what was wrong with me. I told him to call 911 because I was in a lot of pain and had very heavy bleeding. He shrugged and laughed it off; saying my Mom would be home soon and she could explain whats going on (My Mom also ironically works in the Healthcare system as a L&D nurse) and I thought that it was something having to do with pregnancy. (I wasn't ever taught Sex Ed either.) She got home, told me I was having my first period, laughed it off, and told me to stop "freaking out" because it wasn't too serious. I still haven't forgiven either of them.

I was 9 when I had my first period. I, too, thought I was dying until my mom came in and calmly told me what was up. She was 9 when had got it, and so was her mom, my grandma. Unfortunately, I couldn’t learn about reproductive health until middle school, and I was still in the 4th grade, the only girl who got her period in my whole class, so it was pretty hard trying to explain to my friends what was happening to me because most of them didn’t get it until they were 12-14 years old. It would’ve been great for my school to have taught SOMETHING, ANYTHING about reproductive health before the 6th grade, but getting your first period so young is pretty scary if you have absolutely no prior knowledge about it other than your mom, and even THAT is not a guarantee.

I hate it that no media (both sex ed and shows) never taught how much painfull can a peroid get for some people to kids. Like heavy peroids where you are crying because it hurts so bad, you can't even go to school and can't function without feeling pain. Saying this as a trans man who literally felt hell when on a peroid that was heavy. It's nice now that im on some bleeding control meds, i haven't had a peroid when i take them. Honestly, i can fuction and not have to worry about both pain and blood anymore.

Glad that when i was confused about my older sister being "sick" my mam told me about Periods in a way I'd understand cause she was a nurse. When I got it, I was calm (kind of) which I'm thankful cause I'm an overthinker and I know it would've went terrible if I didn't know what It was

As a sister with a brother lets just say he found out the hard way when we used to share a shower and bathroom

I’m 12, and got my period this year! I was never really taught about it because my dad is one of those dudes who find it unnatural and believes I can just, “hold it in.” On the other hand, my mom had a broken relationship with HER mom, so she has major mommy issues and never wanted to pursue me/teach me correctly. Luckily, my 6th grade English teacher taught me, because I was in her class at the time that it happened. I guess I always sorta wished that my mom wanted to actually talk to me about it, I never really have been sat down and told about the birds and the bees or menstruation. Learned that through sex Ed. SO, WHAT MY POINT IS: EDUCATE YOURSELFFFF

There's one other show you missed. There was an early 2000's show called Braceface that also had a period episode. Main character Sharron gets her first period, but she has no idea what's happening so she goes to the hospital because she thinks she's dying. She runs into her boyfriend who tells her about periods. That his sister gets them all the time and that it's perfectly normal and nothing to be ashamed of. I've always loved how they not only show how scary periods can be for girls who aren't properly prepared and educated about it, but they also tried to normalize male acceptance by having Sharron's boyfriend being so knowledgeable and understanding

I'm currently in the midde/near end of mine as I'm watching this. I'm honestly very glad that cartoons are presenting the topic of period with such care.

FINALLY someone who actually says pads and tampons instead of only saying "sanitary napkins" or "ladies supplies"

This is a great video, but I wanna make a quick addition to this matter, and point out Disney’s stuff and Camp Camp aren’t actually the first cartoons to cover periods. King of the Hill was the very first to feature periods, while Nelvana in Canada had period-centric episodes in Braceface and 6teen, with the latter playing the topic entirely for comedy.

the first time i had my period, i was, like, ten or eleven years old. can't remember which. but, i didn't tell _anyone,_ because it was always a super taboo topic in my family. i used toilet paper pads in my underwear and prayed that no one would see the blood leaking through my underwear and surprisingly, i managed to hide my very first period from literally everyone i knew. i still don't know how. i even remember the moment i went to the bathroom and saw the blood in my underwear. it was a moment of "well... crap." kind of like when i realized that i was gay, lmao. i felt like i couldn't tell anyone about it because i thought my mom and dad would laugh or say "ew" or something like that. horrible how that works, huh? my first period to everyone else was literally new year's eve on a vacation to see family for christmas. we were at a trampoline park and i had already prepared a toilet paper pad for myself (i had started a day ago) and my mom saw that i had bled through my jeans 😭😭 she and my grandma had to explain to me how it worked and how to use actual pads... it was a whole fiasco. on new year's eve, too! hilarious. since then, my family has gradually grown to be pretty casual about periods. my little brother knows what it is and he's ten. my little sister will grow up knowing what a period is and how to handle it, and i'm grateful she has what i didn't. i'm glad she won't feel like she has to hide it.

Huh, now I'm inspired to start watching Camp Camp. But yeah I really don't see why people flip out over this. It's a common part of growing up, and while it's tough/painful. Scaring kids away from it or refusing to teach them how to handle it is just going to make the problem worse. There's nothing Toxic, Sexual, or Grooming about it. Nobody ever told me and that's why I'm thankful we have characters like Baymax and Molly Mcgee to lead the way for future generations. I get it's uncomfortable, but when the time comes this should be handled calmly and maturely instead of throwing baby hissy fits. Also, nice touch adding the Bluey and Sesame Street clips to show Kids are capable of understanding less than happy subjects. Had no idea you worked in a nursery. That's pretty interesting!

I remember my mom gave me a book about my body changing and had me read it. Turns out I had an abnormal flow and she just said it was weird. I’m 27 now and yeah, I should’ve been taken to a doctor to consider options for help regulating my flow.

When I had my first period, I knew vaguely what it was. However, due to a mixture of my neurodivergency, lifelong anxiety and mental health problems, and my rocky relationship with my mom that made me feel uncomfortable sharing things with her, I didn't say anything. I tried to figure out how to deal with it on my own because I felt embarrassed and scared of what my mom would say. I've felt constantly on eggshells around my mom for longer than I can remember, and even whenever the secret did get out, it was because I bled through my pants and my teacher brought me to the nurse, and even then, I didn't correct anyone on when my first period was. Even in the present day, as I'm a high schooler, my mom still makes me feel unsafe to share things with her. Even if the right information is shared, you need to make a comfortable environment for the kids in your care regardless of the topic. If you belittle your kids for things they can't control, crack jokes at their expense, or make things uncomfortable for no reason like my mom, you might leave them worse off than if you didn't tell them anything.

I started crying when Tuca from Tuca and Bertie talked about her PCOS. It controls a lot of my life because mine is so aggressive. It feels nice to be seen. Makes me feel more like a person.

im a man no one ever told me to wash under my foreskin so i had multiple painful infections in my p*ins until a doctor told me in my early teens we need to talk about everything not just 'comfortable' topics

Anatomy and Biology needs to be taught for the recommended ages where menstruation begins or when puberty hits. I'm tired of people treating menstruation as a joke and not something serious to where it can be life threatening if not properly taken care of.

I remember when I was 9 when I got my first period and I didn't know ANYTHING about it, was told pads were like adult diapers when i asked my mom and I genuinely believed I was dying.

7:15 What the Eff? Did Odalia Blight write this? Seriiously though, once again Chandler you did a great job talking about a serious topic that needs to be talked about more not just in animation but in media as a whole. Just like the representation video, you did a fantastic job. ^_^

As someone who got her first period at like, 8 or 9 (first of the class...), I was *so glad* that the country I live in makes it menditory for 3th and 4th graders to know what periods are. it's still a bit of a taboo, and most people do not talk about it out loud, but having it being talked about in 4th grade is just, so much better then the schools only mentioning it in 8th grade. Like, seriously, for most kids it's far too late by then. 99% of the girls will already have had their first period, and the boys are less likely to learn anything from it bc they're teens at this point, and teens don't tend to be very respectful, or even try to listen, when serious topics like this are discussed or taught.

I'm ecstatic that shows are making this normal. As a kid, especially since I live in the dumpster fire state of Florida, I was taught by my mom and my school when I was younger. And I remember getting my period during gym class and I was embarassed and freaking out but I had a coach who understood and had pads in her desk at the ready and gave them to me and other girls who were in her gym class. Im glad she was there to help, and I'm disappointed to know that parents and especially my home state are practically making it taboo to know basic body function that affects literally half of the population. Theres a website I used to learn more about sex ed and body functions better than my school used to do.

im personally very lucky to have a dad and boyfriend (the most prominent men in my life) who are open and understanding to the topic of periods. My dad never really explained it to me but at the very least made sure that my school made me understand what was going to happen and what i should do. And of course times ive run out of period products ive been able to ask my boyfriend for help. But besides my very open family and loved ones, i always noticed shame surround our periods. I vividly remember in elementary school my 8yr old friend got her period for the first time and she told a male teacher, he kind of shamed her for coming to him and told her to find a female teacher instead of like escorting her to one or just helping out which stressed her out even more. It's really sad, and i feel like a lot of men arent taught how painful periods can be, while my dad was understanding we had an argument at some point because my period pain was so bad i had to miss school a couple of days out every month and told me I "couldnt do that in the real world" which is not only untrue but also i was in like sickly horrible pain what did he want me to do?

Okay. If my h0m0ph0bic, r@cist, and slightly s3xist dad no problem with the pad scene in Turning Red, then other parents must be wayyyy worse. God 😭

I had my period when I was 11, and I remember how I was not scared at all. My parents had three daughters and one trans son, so, we talk about periods so casually (fortunately) and my mother prefers us not to talk about it that much around our father, but we do and she doesn’t care about it much. My family was talking about when I’ll get my first period and they were so calm about it. I had been learning more about pregnancy and periods through fanfic -very questionable I know- but I had some ideas about it. So, it’s like two a.m. in the morning and my parents and one of my sister are asleep while my other sister and brother are awake and playing a game on PlayStation and I go to the bathroom and boom I see red. I wonder “Wait-did I get my first period? What?!?” and I rushed to my sister’s room and woke her: “I got my period.” while smiling so big. She wakes up and says “Uh? Yeah, sure.” Then goes back to sleep. I then woke my mom and she showed how to use a pad. That was all. I learned by sister telling me her friends’ experiences how it was so tabu. I was so shocked and glad that my family was so open about it.

Turning Red became famous for showing pads, as it is a movie about female puberty, But for a phineas and ferb-like show like this one to have an episode about periods is amazing. I'm glad they're normalizing women's puberty. It's all part of growing up.

I feel really lucky that both my school and my parents told me about this before it happened to me but i was still shocked by how bad it was. I cant imagine how much worse it would be not knowing whats going on or worse have parents ridicule you for it.

It always annoyed me how some adults feel like kids shouldn’t know about periods. Like do you want your daughter to think she’s dying when it eventually happens 💀

i remember watching that “nikki’s last day in earth” when i was around 11, it honestly helped me understand a whole lot of stuff, my parents have always been open and talk about “mature” topics but they never really told me about periods, needless to say, parents should talk to their kids about important topics like this

I’m my school we had a special class called the puberty talk, where we were told about all the basics. They even gave the girls ‘period bags’ with a few pads with and without wings, tampons and panty liners. If only all schools did that…

I'm a girl and even I find periods awkward to talk about. Seeing some of my favorite cartoons and tv shows talk about periods nowadays would make me feel a certain way. Growing up I never really saw cartoons or tv shows cover periods. But now they do, and I'm glad. It's something that should be shown as normal, and not something that sounds alerts the moment someone mentions it lol. I feel weird about it but not in a bad way, I just think about how far media has come. Idk I'm probably weird lol

Its disgusting how parents refuse to tell their kids about periods. My mom ever since i can remember would always educate my sister and I on them and what to do/what you can expect from it. I am forever grateful for her education. I was able to help my friends for when their period had started and also educate them

I was 10 when I got my period and I remember how supportive my mom and dad were, so I was very confused when the adults at school told me not to talk about it to the other students

I gotta say, as much as I admire the episode for openly talking about periods, I really wish they did more with the idea. As it is, "periods" could've been replaced with "acne" or something and the episode would've played out largely the same. Would've been nice if the episode conflict was something more specific to periods, like nobody taking you seriously when you're in pain, or learning to not soil everything.

Young bloomer here!! I was 8 when I first got mine and like Nikki I thought I was going to die, and then I thought I would get in trouble for dying. I wasn’t told anything about periods till I bursted out crying that I’m losing a lot of blood to my mom. I grew up with tv so I def wished I had been told about it

I appreciate my Mom for being one of the rare few to be blunt and straight to the point with me and my sister about menstruation. And in a very nonchalant way.

Honestly, I would’ve loved to see more period information when I was a child. I hid my first period for three days because I was so scared and confused. I’m so glad that Disney is spearheading discussing periods and puberty, and I hope that this’ll help kids before/when they get their periods

The education system did me so dirty when it came to period stuff. I don’t remember the exact way it was presented to me but I remember it was bad and inaccurate and being scared shitless after the video they showed us, becoming hysterical with anxiety, and needing to be sent home. All the adults in my life were uncomfortable with answering my period questions and basically just told me it was this inevitable thing that was going to happen to me and left it at that. I spent years dreading my period until I actually got it a few days after I turned 13. I was absolutely terrified. I went through so much unnecessary stress and it all could’ve been prevented with better education on the subject. Also, my sister got it earlier than that stupid florida bill says it’s ok to talk about periods. It’s so important to normalize menstruation because inadequate education on it leads to cases like what happened to me.

I had my first period at 9 years old. It was really stressful because, at that time, nobody else (at least, that I knew of in my school) had already had their period by then - so I felt isolated, and I couldn't talk about it with any teachers because they would never believe that, because I was so young, I could even have a period. And it didnt help that my family started calling me a 'young woman'. Then, once I reached middle school, I was ostracized when I came out about my experience with an early period. Almost everyone thought it was gross because I had it so early, or that I was dishonest, or even that I was wrong just because of it. I wish people were more open about periods to prevent exclusion of mensurating people. Or just, in general. It sucks.

the fact that i never knew that episode of Molly Mcgee existed because Disney in Spain pulled the plug on that show before those new episodes could air.

I’m a male viewer but I sort of wondered what’s with all the period episodes in cartoons recently? I don’t mind it because instead of an awkward puberty video , I could put an animated movie or episode in it’s place one day (it’s still going to be somewhat awkward but to a lesser extent) Edit: all this drama over a drop of blood… just how? It shouldn’t be like this.

I got my period at around 10 years old, i was fortunate enough to have my mom tell me all about it beforehand but it came unexpectedly (it always does tbf) and i got a little scared but i called my mom over and she helped me out, she even showed me how to put a pad on. I learned that i was still a kid, not a woman all of a sudden. Menstruation really shouldn't be taboo! Its a normal bodily function like peeing or pooping.

This kind of topics should be more represented in a more educational way sensitive or not they should put it and finding ways to put a lesson in a family friendly way and such and very importantly teach kids growing up that its okay and its a part of growing up and hopefully in the future end the hate and disagreements of parents saying that its "TOO SEXUALIZED"

The ghost and Molly McGee is AWESOME because it doesn’t talk down to anyone and is no stranger to being relatable. It’s also such an emotionally uplifting story, especially with Molly’s relentless optimism. She reminds me of….me.

I would like to have periods talked about more to not only have others to understand that it's normal but to also explain to young girls so they understand what to do when it finally happens ❤

i am so happy that kids are getting content like this because it's needed. not only does it teach kids about them in such a mature way, but it also reassures them that it's nothing to be ashamed of! when i was 11, i got my first period and i was so scared. i kinda had an idea what a period was, but i thought it was the same as going to the bathroom. therefore, i was so confused as to why i was bleeding through my shorts. i TEXTED my mom that i was bleeding through my shorts because i was so embarrassed. mind you, we were both literally in the house lol (that's how embarrassed i was). she taught me how to use a pad and let me stay home from school that day and i'm so grateful for how amazing she is. for a while, i never told anyone else about my period because i was so ashamed of it. i feel like if i had seen something like this as a child, this would have reassured me a lot more. when i finally told my friends, my one friend shouted "KARSEN GOT HER PERIOD!!" and we all burst into laughter ejjrjr anyways, THIS is one of the reasons why it's so important !! i'm so happy kids get to see this ☺️

Good gravy, that negative review of Turning Red was absolutely hilarious with how sensitive that mother was. She sounds like one of those cartoon softies who faints at the sight of one drop of blood or the mention of the word butt. 😂

I FIND IT SO FUNNY THE WAY THE DAD ACTS IN MOLY. When I got my period my mom didn't have pads for me so her and my dad went to the store and get some pads.when they got back my mom told me that my dad was a little panicked and he wanted to buy a bunch of period stuff LOL

I’m glad that in my country we learn about periods at the 4th and 5th grade, so when I had my first period I wasn’t worried at all, I was okay because I already knew what it was. I really think that kids should learn about this kind of stuff since a young age, so than they can normally talk about it and not be in panic or despair when things such as periods happen

Getting my period was hard enough, but if I hadn't been educated ahead of time it would have been truly traumatizing.

I’m a boy and I have a cousin who’s at the age. I rember I showed her the Molly mcgee episode and she Actually enjoyed it (her reaction was priceless😂😂😂😂) this is coming from a girl who said she didn’t even like this show.

I am so proud that a lot children today have these episodes and a wider range of content to help teach them about puberty and menstruation. Before I got my first period when I was 13.5, my only exposure to these topics outside of school and chats with my parents was the American Girl book The Care and Keeping of You. Whenever I read it, I always felt like the book was pushing me to "conform to my womanhood" and "be like other girls", which hurt me deeply inside as an outcast in middle school. I didn't have friends, and I felt like the other girls around me were trying too hard to be "grown-up" with their toxic in-groups and pre-high school cliques. I felt scummy and unwanted. Having your period doesn't have to be a big piece of drama or chapter in your life, and it doesn't mean you have become a woman overnight. No matter how your body grows, you are still the same beautiful individual on the inside. You have to grow and develop at your own pace, and listen to your own heart and gut with determination, while still being kind and loving to both close ones and yourself. (Ps, taking anti-depressants and swapping to a menstrual cup have helped me on my periods so much!)

A lot of mothers are scared about teaching their kids about their periods, especially their daughters because most of them weren’t taught about periods and were traumatised by it thanks to their own mothers / parents not explaining it to them. Their also weird about it with their sons because back then it was hush hush and seen as disgusting. I was lucky with my mum, she went through all that stuff with her period so when I was eight she explained exactly what it was, my brothers knew what it was too, so I never grew up with it being awkward. Not that it was never awkward at school but I had a much better experience then most I think? I never had the freak out moment most shows have, I didn’t cry etc, it was normal to me, because I was expecting it to happen and was taught how to handle it. These cartoons are great for the next gen, just in case their parents aren’t as progressive as mine.