For many parents, having "the talk" with their daughters may be an awkward moment, but there just might be a better way for them to do this, thanks to an ingenuity by a doll company.
Lammily, the company which came up with "normal Barbie," has released new accessories for the doll that is already featured with cellulites, pimples and stretch marks. The latest addition is a $10 Period Party extension kit, which teaches young girls about puberty, according to Time.
The idea behind Period Party is to help parents explain the menstrual cycle to their daughters in a way that is fun but also educational. "We wanted to put it on the doll so it's not a scary thing," Nickolay Lamm, Lammily's designer, said via the news outlet.
"If a doll has pads, how can [menstruation] be taboo?" Lamm further said, according to Today. "Periods are such an integral part of a woman's life, just a healthy part of it. It shouldn't have to be swept under the rug."
The Period Party kit has a pamphlet about menstruation, along with doll underwear, 19 menstrual pads, stickers and calendars to keep track of the period. The doll itself costs $25 at Lammily.
"On average, a woman between the ages of 12 and 51 spends a total of 6 years on her menstrual period," read the statement on Period Party. "Yet, while being a huge part of female life, this perfectly healthy natural process is still surrounded with taboos. Let's start an open and positive conversation about our periods."
In producing the kit, Lamm is expecting some backlash and criticisms. "But there's a very big difference between making fun of something and making something fun—especially if we are talking about a very important topic—which may be difficult to approach, for many kids and parents alike," he defended, according to New York Daily News.
But Lamm has an ally in parenting expert Dr. Deborah Gilboa. "It's tragic for girls to get their periods before anyone has warned them. They think they are dying and they are broken," the doctor said, according to Today. "I don't think we should fear the doll...don't fear the conversation. Give your kids the information you want them to have."
The concept of the Lammily doll, which was first released in 2014, is based on the CDC data of the average measurements of a woman, the Time story stated. Hence, it earned the moniker "normal Barbie."
