Periods are now my son's favourite topic

My seven-year-old son has recently learned that women get periods and, as a result of this, he has become increasingly concerned for the welfare of myself and his teenage sister.

While I always assumed Alex would be respectful of girls and women, I didn’t quite anticipate this level of concern.

I also didn’t expect he would familiarise himself so early with the workings of the female anatomy and our monthly cycles, but I suppose there’s some things you just can’t control.

Having spent much of last Wednesday smothering with a cold in front of the television, he obviously picked up on some advertisements aimed at women and felt compelled to ask.

While slurping into a glass or orange juice, he asked if mummies wear nappies like babies.

Momentarily baffled, I flicked a glance downwards and wondered if I had accidentally attached one of Nathaniel’s nappies to my lower half in a moment of utter exhaustion.

Apart from a porridge stain on one of my thighs, I was all clear and asked Alex what had brought us on to this topic.

Explaining he had seen some ads that had got him wondering, I found myself explaining the menstrual cycle to my little boy approximately five years before I ever thought I would.

All credit to him, he didn’t recoil, wring his hands or turn puce when I explained the process, which is more than I can say for his father on occasion.

Since that afternoon, Alex has quietly asked me every single morning if I have my period and enquired into my wellbeing.

When I snapped at the entire family on Friday evening because I’d had quite enough of being a mum for one day, he diplomatically suggested I may be getting my period and maybe I should take a bath.

While I find his candour and concern hilarious, his older siblings aren’t quite so on board with their younger brother’s ‘new man’ attitude.

“If Alex asks if I have cramps one more time, I’m moving out,” my 13-year-old daughter confided in me over the weekend.

While he may be a little young to be discussing the topic, I applaud his maturity and take on the subject.

As opposed to treating myself and his sister like a source of confusion, he treads carefully and truly admires our monthly battles.

“I think it’s cool,” he told me on Sunday night. “You’re like superheroes.”

I’m with him on that one.