Picture taken by me in Wall, South Dakota
I am doing a last minute switch of topic for my blog post this time. I had another post all planned out but I am on a cross-country trip this week and am open to new ideas. I am in South Dakota today (at Wall Drug of all places).
I found myself staring at yet one more kids’ book on poop (see picture). Yes, it was fun and funny, and I thought about buying it for my kids. Then I realized they already own books on poop and farts and do not need another book on this subject. I took a picture of the front cover of the book to show to my kids instead. Now I’m also sharing it with you—enjoy!
But, fun aside, then I got to thinking: what we really need is more kids’ books on all of the other ways our bodies leak. Even the mysterious ways that bodies leak. Like menstruation. Sure, there are kids’ books for teaching about how babies are born and for teaching kids about sex. I’ve seen a book for kids on farts that also included information on burping. So there has been headway made on getting the word out to kids (“Yes, bodies leak!”). But I’ve never seen a real kids’ book on menstruation.
What would be so wrong about a menstruation book for kids—one that made menstruation interesting and fun for kids to learn about?
Why can’t we write this book? Is it that we are scared to really come out and write about this subject? Is it because we ourselves still think it is taboo and gross? I know that many people have tried to put together educational information for girls who are about to reach menarche but that is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the need for a book that makes a mysterious subject fun (or at least interesting) for kids to learn about. I’d like to see a book on menstruation that I could read to my kids and they could both walk away knowing more about women’s bodies and be less fearful of menstruation.
I might be living a dream but I’d like to think kids are curious about menstruation just like they are curious about poop.
