Our hall closet door swung shut, and Zoe walked into the bathroom and gave me a handful of hygiene items. I always forget to refill the basket in the bathroom, and leave myself stranded, at the mercy of my daughters or husband to respond to my pleas. TMI? Please tell me I’m not the only one… Thankfully, our hall closet is always well-stocked with my go-tos: Tampax Pearl Tampons and Always Infinity FlexFoam Pads. This post is sponsored by Always and Tampax. As always, the opinions and words are my own!

Since becoming parents, it’s been our goal to have candid and honest conversations with our children. Age-appropriate and being sure to use terminology and ideas they will understand, but we have the conversations nonetheless. We’ve felt it very important that they be aware of things that are going to happen to them and for them to witness their mom going through life.

My kids have attended most of my prenatal visits and have had the ability to witness the incredible relationship I have with my midwife. They’ve watched as blood was drawn, they’ve sat [somewhat] quietly through hours of personal conversations, they’ve helped measure my uterus, they’ve listened to the baby’s heartbeat with the doppler. They’ve seen it all during our prenatal visits. And then, we’ve had the wonderful opportunity to have two home births, and our children were there for ALL of it. They have seen me labor, they’ve heard me cry and shout, they’ve seen me at my strongest and my weakest. And they watched their brother enter this world. Including them in these life experiences, and explaining what’s happening helps to normalize these important events and gives them context and a frame of reference for their own experiences. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

And of course, my kids know ALL about a woman’s cycle. They are beginning to understand when and how it all works. When they were really little, they discovered my pads and tampons in the hall closet and maaay have had fun exploring and using them in all the wrong ways. BUT they quickly learned what they’re for and how they’re to be used, and they’re my faithful little helpers when I fail to keep the bathroom stocked. 😉

I love that I can always find the feminine products I need at CVS, and that CVS is virtually everywhere. If you shop CVS between July 27 and August 2, you can grab your favorite Tampax and Always products, and save $2.00/1! The rebate coupons live on CVS.com This promotion can also be found in the BrandSaver weekly paper (which can be found in stores). Nothing like getting a little money back for life’s essentials!

When I have these conversations with my children, I try to make it seem as normal and natural as possible. I don’t make a big deal out of things, but rather I try to just talk casually about the seasons of womanhood, and make it a part of our day-to-day conversations. Giving them context and the language and the openness to talk freely with us has been really important, and I hope they continue to feel welcome to always talk to us about anything! Tell me: have you had these life conversations with your little ones? How have you approached the subject? I’m always looking for books, and other recommendations!

Sponsor Note: Although this post was sponsored by Tampax and Always, all content, words, and ideas are my own. Thanks for supporting the partnerships that help keep this blog running.