To discuss my period in front of my 13yo DS?

[Geillis]

Peri-menopausal. I feel like my periods are literally trying to kill me each month and I keep sanitary towels and tampons in both loos in a basket next to the sink as I need them regularly and usually urgently.

My sons are aware of my periods and how they affect me and I think nothing of asking them to nip upstairs to get me supplies or fill a hot water bottle. My friend was round this evening and was “horrified” at this being a topic of conversation especially in front my 13yo who “is probably secretly disgusted” by my periods. I am apparently “putting him off women” 🤣.

Should I be more discreet? It’s not like I go into gory detail...

[Fascinate]

Short answer? No.

[Fascinate]

Tell your friend to butt out. You're normalizing periods, can only be a good thing.

[NoKidsTwoCats]

Sounds like you're raising mature, helpful, open-minded kids to me!

[Justbookedasummmerholiday]

Likely he will be a godsend to his dw in the future!!

[gateto]

absolutely nothing wrong with it. should be spoken about the same it would if you had a broken foot/headache etc etc.

[stopfuckingshoutingatme]

Yanbu ! My DS know waaay too much but they are young and give me no privacy !! She is wrong f

[cariadlet]

Your friend is being a bit ridiculous. You're not going into details about anything. You're just acting as if periods are a normal part of everyday life - which they are.

[Primaryteach87]

No. YANBU. Friend sounds unduly perturbed . My OH has 3 sisters and it was a normal conversation in the family when he was growing up. He wasn’t scarred for life! I don’t see the big deal.

[WillowWeeping]

Your friend is being ridiculous.

I can't begin to fathom these teenage boys who have to be informed that periods exist.

[DrSeuss]

Sounds like they will become good husbands/male friends/coworkers. There was a thread a while back about someone who was so freaked out on discovering that his female colleague was menstruating that he spoke to HR!

[CrazyHairSister]

As a PP has said normalising periods is a good thing.

[FluffyMcCloud]

Oh FFS us women and our bodily functions are not something to be hidden and whispered about in dark corners, what a horrible attitude your friend has. Of course it is fine. I do the same with my teenage son - and I hope it means he is understanding when his female friends have cramping or feel awful when it is their time of the month. Why do people still insist that periods are somehow something to be ashamed of?! Grrr.
OP you are completely in the right here!

[BenLui]

Your friend is being ridiculous.

Would she be shocked if you asked him to nip upstairs for loo roll? It’s not any different.

[DerelictWreck]

Your friend is a

[Peachypeaches]

Normal topic of conversation in my house. DS(15) not remotely bothered and will even get me a hot water bottle and offer to share his chocolate with me!

[Threenme]

Yanbu! Stopfuckingshouting I also have no privacy! I needed toilet in town, coming to end of period when it's all slightly gross, and alone with ds aged 3. Couldn't leave him outside so trying to cover up as much as poss in a tiny cubicle, he saw and declared to a busy city centre toilet "errrr mummy you've got poo in your pants"! thanks for that love!

[WhatwouldAryado]

My husband has 3 sister's a mother and a step mother. He is thoughtful and useful and unflappable with all things period related. This did not magically happen one day as an adult.

[BluePheasant]

No. You’re doing a great job. The more boys brought up like this, the better.

[Aeroflotgirl]

They are affecting you quite badly, so obviously your ds will be aware. There is nothing wrong asking him to help, it's normal using them. You are hardly going into I depth discussion about them!

[cheminotte]

Yanbu. Totally reasonable. My brother used to get me hot water bottles when I had bad periods as a teenager.

[Thegiantofillinois]

Think it depends on the kid. My mum shared every. Fucking. Detail. About her periods, flooding and the menopause when i was a teen. Even now I hate the word 'floodin' and am terrified of the menopause starting in my early 40s and lasting 20years. I just don't get the need to discuss them, but then mine were never more than a minor inconvenience on the pill and hsve vanished with my new pill.

[pilates]

YANBU
What a weird attitude your friend has.

[disneydatknee]

I don’t see anything wrong with this at all. My 8yo DS knows about periods already. (He saw some pads in my bag and asked about them...I explained..) I’ve explained to him that during this time I get moody and tearful and I’m tired out and in pain. He understands and tries his hardest to be especially nice to me when I’m on. I would like to think that’s how he would also treat his future partner too. Just because he’s male doesn’t mean he shouldn’t know about them. The school certainly won’t touch on this subject with him.

[BabyOrSanta]

My OH was brought up like this and helped his mum when she had her hysterectomy a few years ago.
He's turned out more than fine

[Theresamayscough]

Good for you op.

My ds has 5 sisters and is immune.

My older dss were fantastic to their younger teenage sisters and when my youngest dd stared aged 9!!! Her 19/18 year old brothers were so kind to her and so matter of fact.

I had flooding too love and had a merina coil fitted. It took a while but now it’s fine.