Many of us parents who menstruate have had the less-than-ideal experience of going to the bathroom only to realize—oops!— you’re all out of period supplies. You may have decided to fashion an impromptu pad out of toilet paper or start asking around to see if anyone has extra pads or tampons to spare. However you chose to deal with the situation, it was nothing to be ashamed of, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you want it to happen to your teen.
A period kit is an emergency bag filled with all of the period products, extra underwear and essentials your teen will need for when their period starts unexpectedly. Say hello to carefree periods and goodbye to embarrassing situations and makeshift pads.
1. Find a container
Arguably the best part of creating your first period kit is searching for the right container to hold all of the necessary items. This can be as simple as a plastic zip lock bag or an old pencil case.
Make a day of it by heading to the thrift store and rummaging around their bag section. You're likely to find a variety of bags that can be repurposed for your period starter kit—a small pouch, an old wallet or an old makeup bag. When choosing the right container for your kit, make sure to have a pad or tampon with you to make sure that everything you'll need will fit inside the pouch.
2. Add menstrual products of your choice.
Fill the container with 3-4 of your teen's menstrual products of choice — pads, reusable pads, tampons, period underwear or a menstrual cup — enough to last a whole day. And don't forget to replace with new tampons or pads after you've used them!
Bonus reading: How to use a tampon
3. Have a change of underwear
For those truly emergency situations, such as a first period or leaking tampon, it's beneficial to keep extra underwear in your teen's period kit as well.
Nobody wants to sit in a sticky pool of blood, so it's a good idea for your child to have a change of underwear on hand. It could be a regular pair of underwear or —even better — your favorite pair of Kt period underwear. Period underwear isn't just a cute pair of undies—they're made specifically to hold a certain amount of blood, saving your tween or teen from having to wear an additional pad or tampon throughout the day.
4. Add pain reliever
If your teen is one of the many unlucky ones who experience period cramps, a pain reliever is a must for any period kit. Sitting in math class and not being able to focus because of the pain is just not an option. Pack whichever pain reliever works best for them and forget about cramping at school.
5. Don't forget wipes
Periods can be messy, so it helps to have a small packet of water-based wet wipes on hand to clean up with. News flash: Cleansing wipes aren’t just for babies.
6. Pack a treat
If your teen is on their period and have a knackering for chocolate, that's totally normal. Fluctuating hormones can lead to intense cravings for sweet or salty foods. Add one of their favorite treats to the container, whether it be dark chocolate, a sweet lollipop, or a salt granola bar—they'll thank you later. That's why it's called a survival kit, after all.
Now that you’ve gathered all the items your needs, stash it in their backpack, locker or car. Hopefully, from there, they'll be prepared for any period mishaps that might happen at sports practice, sleepovers, or school.
Get a head start on period kits with Kt's help. Each kit features a selection of reusable pads or period underwear. The School Period Kit even comes with a mini bag, so they're able to throw it into your gym bag or the car's glove compartment stress-free.✨
To download in Canada, please click here.
