Understanding menopause at home, supporting teenagers and changing the conversation for the next generation.

12minute read

Author: Megan Hayward, The Menopause Concierge®

During a recent menopause presentation, someone in the audience asked me a really thoughtful question:

How do we talk to our children, particularly teenagers, about menopause?

And it got me thinking.

We spend a lot of time discussing how menopause affects women, their relationships and their working lives. But what about the children and teenagers sharing that experience at home?

For many women, perimenopause arrives during an already incredibly busy stage of life. Careers, relationships, ageing parents, household responsibilities and, for some, children navigating puberty.

Puberty and perimenopause, all under the same roof!

What could possibly go wrong?

There might be disrupted sleep, fluctuating emotions, changing bodies, anxiety, fatigue and moments when everyone’s patience is wearing a little thin.

But there is also an incredible opportunity.

An opportunity to build greater understanding, encourage empathy and teach the next generation that hormonal health is something we should be able to talk about openly.

So, I went looking for what the experts are saying and what practical resources are available for families.

Here is what I discovered.

Why are we still not talking about menopause at home?

For generations, menopause was something women were expected to manage quietly.

Perhaps our mothers never spoke about it. Perhaps they did not understand what was happening themselves or simply did not have access to the information and support we have today.

Research shared by UK menopause specialist Dr Louise Newson highlights just how significant this silence has been.

In a survey of nearly 6,000 women experiencing perimenopause or menopause, around three-quarters of respondents reported that menopause had never been discussed in their homes while they were growing up.

Interestingly, the survey also suggested that attitudes are changing. Among respondents who answered questions about their children, 87% reported discussing menopause with their daughters and 69% with their sons.

While this was a self-selected survey, rather than a representative study of all women, it offers an encouraging indication of the conversations beginning to happen across generations.

Dr Newson explores these findings in her excellent article, How to Talk to Your Children About Menopause.

And I think this raises an important question.

If we are teaching children about puberty, menstruation and reproductive health, why aren’t we also teaching them about menopause?

Menopause is not an obscure medical condition. It is a natural biological transition that women who live long enough will experience, whether naturally or through medical or surgical intervention.

Understanding the transition before it happens can help remove fear, challenge stereotypes and encourage women to recognise symptoms and seek appropriate support.

And importantly, we should be teaching boys as well as girls.

Because menopause may happen within one person’s body, but its impact does not necessarily stop there.

When two very different life transitions meet

One particularly interesting perspective comes from US clinical psychologist Dr Lisa Damour, who specialises in adolescent development.

In an interview published by The 19th, Puberty and Perimenopause, Under One Roof, Dr Damour explores the challenges of parenting teenagers while navigating your own hormonal transition.

And she makes an important distinction.

Although puberty and perimenopause both involve hormonal changes, they are not the same biological experience.

Adolescence also involves significant brain development, alongside physical, emotional and social changes.

A teenager experiencing heightened emotions is not necessarily responding to a temporary hormonal fluctuation. Their developing brain, changing relationships, need for independence, sleep and social pressures can all influence their experience.

Similarly, a woman experiencing anxiety, irritability, brain fog or sleep disruption during perimenopause may be dealing with a complex combination of hormonal, physical and psychological factors.

We need to be careful that we do not reduce either person to simply being hormonal.

I particularly like this perspective because it challenges two stereotypes at once.

The irrational menopausal woman.

And the moody teenager.

Neither is particularly helpful.

Understanding what is happening in our bodies and brains can help us approach one another with greater patience and compassion.

If you are parenting a teenager, I highly recommend reading Dr Damour’s interview. It offers a valuable perspective on adolescent development, emotional regulation and the importance of parents looking after their own health.

What do teenagers actually need to know about menopause?

This was one of the most interesting parts of my research.

There is a growing amount of menopause information available for women and their partners, but considerably less material created specifically for children and teenagers.

However, The Menopause Charity in the UK has developed a resource that I think is particularly valuable.

Their October 2025 article, A Teen’s Guide to Supporting Your Mum Through Menopause, speaks directly to teenagers.

Rather than overwhelming young people with medical terminology, it explains how menopause can influence sleep, mood, energy, concentration, confidence and physical wellbeing.

It then encourages teenagers to approach conversations with curiosity, kindness and an understanding that everyone experiences change differently.

The guide includes practical conversation starters, active listening suggestions and ideas for offering small gestures of support.

What I particularly like is that it reminds teenagers they do not need to solve everything.

Listening and understanding can be far more meaningful than trying to fix someone.

The charity also has another useful resource, Is Your Mum Experiencing Menopause?, which explains perimenopause and menopause in accessible language and provides suggestions for supporting family relationships.

I would encourage parents to explore these resources themselves and, where appropriate, share them with their teenagers.

Of course, we also need to remember that not every family looks the same. Some children live with mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers or other caregivers experiencing menopause.

The principles of understanding, respect and communication apply across all these relationships.

So how do we actually start the conversation?

One of the consistent recommendations I found was to keep conversations honest, age-appropriate and ongoing.

Not every discussion needs to be a formal family meeting.

And you certainly do not need a PowerPoint presentation, although I would happily prepare one!

Dr Louise Newson recommends introducing information gradually, using language children can understand and building on conversations about puberty and how our bodies change throughout life.

Australian health organisations offer complementary advice about discussing puberty and emotional development.

For example, Healthdirect Australia’s guide to helping children through puberty highlights communication, positive role modelling, curiosity, patience and clear boundaries.

These are equally valuable principles when discussing menopause at home.

With younger children

Start with the basics.

You might explain that as women grow older, their bodies experience another stage of change called menopause.

Some women notice changes in their sleep, temperature, energy or how they feel, and there are ways to manage symptoms and seek support.

Keep the conversation reassuring and answer questions as they arise.

With pre-teens

Connect the conversation to what they may already be learning about puberty, menstrual cycles and hormones.

Explain that hormones influence many functions throughout our lives and that menopause is another stage of reproductive ageing.

This can be particularly valuable before young people begin encountering stereotypes or misinformation.

With teenagers

You can have more detailed conversations about perimenopause, symptoms, hormonal changes, health and the importance of seeking professional advice.

You might explain that you are experiencing changes in sleep, concentration or energy, and what you are doing to support your wellbeing.

But remember, being open does not mean sharing every personal detail or expecting your teenager to provide emotional support.

The aim is understanding, not transferring responsibility.

What if menopause is already affecting family relationships?

This is where the conversation becomes particularly important.

For some women, symptoms such as poor sleep, anxiety, fatigue, cognitive difficulties or changes in mood can significantly affect everyday life.

And families may notice those changes before anyone understands what is happening.

The Menopause Charity encourages families to consider simple, practical ways of supporting one another, such as agreeing when someone needs quiet time, being thoughtful about shared responsibilities and finding opportunities to connect.

These suggestions appear in its guide, Is Your Mum Experiencing Menopause?.

But I think there is an important distinction here.

Children can contribute to a supportive family environment without being responsible for managing a parent’s menopause.

We can ask for understanding without expecting children to monitor symptoms, manage our emotions or become our counsellors.

And we should be equally respectful of what they are experiencing.

If you are exhausted and snap at your teenager, acknowledge it.

If they are overwhelmed, make space to understand what is happening for them.

Hormones can help explain changes in how we feel, but they do not mean we abandon kindness, boundaries or accountability.

Most importantly, if symptoms are significantly affecting your mental health, relationships or daily life, seek professional advice.

Menopause is a natural transition, but suffering is not something we should simply accept as inevitable.

The importance of modelling positive health behaviours

One of the messages that really stood out to me during my research was Dr Damour’s discussion of parents modelling healthy coping behaviours.

In her interview with The 19th, she emphasises that looking after our own health helps us provide a steadier and more supportive home environment.

And this is something I strongly believe in.

We want children to understand that looking after their health is important throughout life, not simply something they do when symptoms become unbearable.

Let them see you taking positive action.

Whether that means making a GP appointment, getting professional support for sleep difficulties, prioritising movement, eating nourishing food or changing a routine that is no longer working for you.

That is a valuable lesson.

And it connects beautifully with my own approach to menopause:

Movement. Mindset. Modify. ®

MOVEMENT | Make space to move and connect

Movement is not only about exercise.

It might be a family walk, a bike ride, dancing in the kitchen or spending time outdoors.

We know regular movement supports physical and mental health, but shared activities can also create natural opportunities for conversations.

Sometimes it is easier to talk when you are walking side by side rather than sitting across a table.

MINDSET | Replace judgement with understanding

Be curious about what is happening rather than making assumptions.

Recognise that everyone in the family may be managing their own challenges, whether hormonal, emotional, social or physical.

And remember, menopause is not a character flaw, just as adolescence is not a behavioural problem.

How we respond to one another matters.

MODIFY | Make the little things easier

Consider what practical changes could make home life work better.

Perhaps it means sharing household responsibilities more fairly, protecting sleep, modifying routines or simply being more thoughtful about one another’s needs.

This is not about making the entire household revolve around one person’s symptoms.

It is about working together.

Sometimes the most useful question is:

What is one small thing we could change to make life a little easier for everyone?

Why this conversation is for boys, too

I want to finish with something I feel strongly about.

When we talk about educating the next generation about menopause, we cannot limit the conversation to mothers and daughters.

Boys need to understand menopause too.

Not because every boy will eventually have a partner who experiences it, but because understanding different human experiences is part of developing empathy, respect and health literacy.

These boys will grow up to become friends, colleagues, leaders, partners and members of our communities.

Their understanding of menopause can help shape how women are supported at home and in workplaces.

And if we want to change the jokes, assumptions, embarrassment and silence that have surrounded menopause for generations, that education needs to include everyone.

Australian organisation Jean Hailes for Women’s Health has developed the Talking Periods initiative, providing resources to support open discussions about periods and reproductive health, including conversations with boys.

Although the initiative focuses on menstruation rather than menopause, I believe the underlying message is equally relevant.

We should be making these conversations a normal part of growing up.

Changing the experience for the next generation

Imagine a generation of young women who understand perimenopause before they begin experiencing symptoms.

Imagine young men who understand that menopause is not a punchline or something to be embarrassed about.

And imagine families where talking about sleep, hormones, mental health, reproductive health and changing bodies is simply part of understanding one another.

Of course, not every family conversation will be easy.

Not every teenager will want to discuss their mother’s hormones over dinner!

And that is perfectly okay.

We do not need to force conversations, and we certainly do not need to have all the answers.

But we can make reliable information available, answer questions honestly and create an environment where people feel comfortable asking for support.

Because normalising menopause should not begin when someone reaches their forties or fifties.

It can begin much earlier, with what we teach, what we model and the conversations we are willing to have at home.

And perhaps that is one of the most meaningful things we can do for the next generation.

Movement. Mindset. Modify. ®

Mimi Moon Meno | The Menopause Concierge®

Further reading and trusted resources

For parents, teenagers and families wanting to explore this topic further:

• The Menopause Charity: A Teen’s Guide to Supporting Your Mum Through Menopause and Is Your Mum Experiencing Menopause?.
• Dr Louise Newson: How to Talk to Your Children About Menopause.
• Dr Lisa Damour, interviewed by The 19th: Puberty and Perimenopause, Under One Roof.
• Healthdirect Australia: Helping Your Child Through Puberty.
• Jean Hailes for Women’s Health: Talking Periods.
• Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: Supporting Someone Through Perimenopause and Menopause.

This article provides general educational information and is not a substitute for individual medical or psychological advice.