Help your child know what to do when their first period starts
Your child might know what a period is. But would they know what to do if it started at school, at sport or somewhere else without you?
Period Ready is a parent-and-child course you work through together. Short videos, a guided workbook and practical activities give your child clear, science-based information about periods, and help them practise what to do before they need it.
It’s rehearsal, not just information.
Watch. Talk. Practise. Prepare.
- Practise using a pad before they need one
- Put together a period kit for school and other places
- Rehearse what to do if their period starts when you’re not there
- Know who they can ask for help, and practise how to ask
How Period Ready works
Period Ready is designed for you and your child to work through together.
There are two age pathways, 7 to 10 and 11 to 14, and you get access to both. Choose the one that suits your child best, and switch if you need to.
You’ll work through seven short modules. Each has a video and a workbook activity to help you talk about, look at or practise something together.
You can work through Period Ready over a weekend, or take your time and do one part at a time. There’s no big period talk to get through.
Made for different kids and different families
Period Ready gives children clear, accurate, science-based information about periods, puberty and their bodies.
The biology doesn’t change depending on who your child is or what your family looks like. What can change is the language, examples and way that information is taught.
Period Ready is inclusive of different family structures, including single-parent, two-mum and two-dad families, and includes transgender and non-binary children without avoiding or changing the biological facts children need to understand periods.
It’s also neurodivergent-friendly, with clear steps, short videos, visual and written information, repetition, practical rehearsal and opportunities to come back to things more than once.
The facts stay the same. How we help children understand them can change.
And Period Ready is there when new questions come up
Period Ready isn’t only a course you complete once. After you’ve worked through the preparation together, it stays available for your child to come back to when they need a reminder or have a new question.
They can:
- Rewatch the course videos
- Return to their workbook and printables
- Watch practical how-to videos when they need to see something again
- Use the Period Help Desk to ask period questions
- Send Cath a question and watch the answer videos she adds
That means you don’t have to anticipate every question your child might have. You can prepare for what they need now, knowing there’s somewhere reliable to come back to.
They don’t have to remember everything the first time. And you don’t have to have every answer ready yourself.
What “prepared” can look like
Your child is at school. They go to the bathroom and notice blood.
For a moment, they might be surprised.
But this isn’t the first time they’ve thought about what to do.
They know it could be their period. They’ve practised using a pad. They know where their period kit is and who they can ask for help.
If the kit isn’t there, they’ve practised a backup plan for that too.
They don’t have to remember everything perfectly.
They’ve been here before, in practice.
Preparation doesn’t have to mean one big period talk
You don’t have to sit your child down and explain everything at once.
Period Ready breaks the preparation into smaller pieces you can work through together.
Watch a short video. Use the workbook to talk about it. Practise something. Stop there if that’s enough for today.
Come back tomorrow, next weekend or whenever your child is ready for the next part.
Some children do better taking it slowly and revisiting things several times.
There’s no prize for getting through it quickly. The goal is for your child to understand and practise what they’ll need.
What you get inside Period Ready
The videos, workbook and practical activities you use to prepare together.
Get ready together
Seven guided modules, with short videos and a workbook, help your child:
- Understand what periods are and why they happen
- Learn about the body changes that can happen before a first period
- Explore period products and practise using a pad
- Decide what they’ll need in their period kit
- Rehearse what to do if their period starts away from home
- Practise backup plans for leaks, no products or other unexpected situations
- Work out who they can ask for help and what they could say
There are worksheets, checklists and practical activities along the way, so you’re not left wondering what to talk about or practise next.
You follow the program. Period Ready guides you through the preparation.
There’s support for you too
Period Ready isn’t only about what your child needs.
Inside the Parent Hub, you’ll find guidance to help you set everything up and support your child as you go.
That includes help choosing the right age pathway, setting up your child’s access, getting the workbook and supplies ready, and additional information for parents.
There’s also dedicated neurodivergent support to help you think about things such as sensory needs, processing, repetition and practical preparation for an autistic, ADHD or otherwise neurodivergent child.
And there’s parent-only support around sex and reproduction, so you have somewhere to turn when period conversations lead to bigger questions.
Why I created Period Ready
I’m Cath Hakanson, a sexual health nurse, sex educator and mum. I’ve spent more than 30 years working in sexual health and helping parents talk about and teach sex education in clear, practical ways.
I’m also an autistic ADHDer, and I’ve raised two neurodivergent kids. So I know that simply explaining something once doesn’t always mean a child will know what to do when they actually need that information.
Over the years, I’ve heard the same worries from children again and again.
That’s why I created Period Ready.
I wanted children to have clear, accurate, science-based information, and I also wanted them to have the chance to practise.
And I wanted parents to have a way to guide that preparation without having to work out every conversation and activity themselves.
Period Ready is designed to work for different children and different families, including children who need more repetition, clearer steps, extra processing time or more practice before something feels familiar.
- To open a pad before they need one.
- To work out what goes in their period kit.
- To think through who they could ask for help.
- To rehearse what happens if things don’t go according to plan.
Because knowing about periods matters. Knowing what to do matters too.
What families are saying
“I had been dreading this conversation because I didn’t know how to start it without making it awkward. Period Ready made it so much easier. We actually worked through it together over a weekend and it felt really guided and manageable. My daughter even enjoyed parts of it, which I never expected.”
“I thought my daughter might feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, but she was actually calm and really engaged. Practising things like using a pad and putting together a period kit made it feel normal instead of awkward. The rehearsal part made such a difference compared to just talking about it.”
Get Period Ready together
You don’t need to wait until you think their first period is just weeks away.
Period Ready includes
- Both age pathways: 7 to 10 and 11 to 14
- Seven guided modules
- Guided workbook and practical activities
- Period product practice
- First-period preparation and rehearsal
- Practical how-to videos
- Printables and checklists
- Period Help Desk
- Ask Cath + answer videos
- Parent Hub
- Neurodivergent support
- Lifetime family access
Is Period Ready right for your child?
Period Ready is for parents and carers of children aged 7 to 14 who are preparing for their first period, or who have recently started and still need some help working out what to do.
It can be especially useful if your child:
- Is starting to show signs of puberty and you know it’s time to start preparing for periods
- Knows a little about periods but hasn’t practised what to actually do
- Worries about their period starting at school, sport or somewhere away from home
- Likes knowing what to expect before something new happens
- Learns better when they can see, practise and revisit information
- Is autistic, ADHD or otherwise neurodivergent and may benefit from clearer steps, repetition or extra preparation
You don’t need to know when their first period will start.
And your child doesn’t need to be showing every sign of puberty before you begin.
You can start with what’s useful now and take the rest at their pace.
What Period Ready isn’t
Period Ready isn’t a complete puberty or sex education course.
It has one clear focus: helping your child understand periods, prepare for their first one and learn the practical skills they’ll need to manage periods.
It also isn’t a course you hand to your child and hope they figure it out.
The preparation part is designed for you to do together. Once you’ve worked through it, Period Ready becomes a resource your child can keep coming back to as they get older and new questions come up.
Frequently asked questions
Is it too early to start?
You don’t need to wait until you think a first period is about to happen. Having time to learn and practise without urgency can make preparation easier.
Start with what’s useful for your child now. You can pause, come back and repeat things whenever you need to.
What if my child has already started their period?
Period Ready can still be useful if their period has recently started and they’re learning how to manage it.
They can practise products, work through school and away-from-home situations, build their kit and return to Period Ready when questions come up.
Is Period Ready suitable for autistic or ADHD children?
Yes. The period information is the same, but Period Ready provides different ways to learn it.
There are short videos, written and visual information, practical activities, clear steps, repetition and opportunities to practise and revisit things.
The Parent Hub also includes additional neurodivergent support for you.
Is it only for girls?
No.
Period Ready is for children who have periods or may have periods. It’s inclusive of transgender and non-binary children and different family structures, while still giving children clear, accurate, science-based information about bodies and periods.
Do I need to know much about periods myself?
No. You don’t need to teach the course from your own knowledge.
The videos and workbook guide you through what to talk about and practise together, and the Parent Hub gives you additional information and support.
Does Period Ready talk about sex?
The child course focuses on periods and the information children need to understand them. There is additional parent-only information about sex and reproduction so you have support if those questions come up.
What if my child doesn’t want to talk about periods?
You don’t have to force one big conversation.
You can keep sessions short, watch a video together, use the workbook or practise one practical skill and stop there. You can return when your child is ready for more.
What is the Period Help Desk?
It’s a part of Period Ready where your child can ask questions about periods and get clear, age-appropriate information.
It gives them somewhere reliable to ask, rather than having to search the internet for answers.
Can my child ask Cath a question?
Yes. Children can send Cath a question through Period Ready, and Cath adds answer videos for children to watch.
What do we need before we start?
You can access Period Ready online from your phone, tablet or computer. You’ll need the workbook, plus a few basic supplies for the practical activities. The Parent Hub helps you get everything organised before you begin.
What if I have more than one child?
Your purchase includes lifetime family access, so you can use Period Ready with siblings too. You receive both age pathways and can choose the one that best fits each child.
Try Period Ready for 30 days
You can work through Period Ready with your child and see whether it works for your family.
If you decide it isn’t right for you, just let me know within 30 days and I’ll refund your purchase.