To have told dd2 the truth in a public loo?

[HattyMonkey]

I am on my period, dd2 aged 3 nearly 4 is aware that I bleed sometimes and I have always answered honestly to any questions. In Debenhams today we went to the toilet and she saw I was "on" she said loudly (she has a very carrying voice) "Mummy you have blood does that mean you are not having a baby?" I replied quietly ( I thought) "that's right".

We left the cubicle and woman confronted me in quite an angry manner saying "next time you want to discuss the facts of life with your kid check who is about, my Son is traumatised"

I was so shocked I said nothing, did I do something wrong? I know everyone parents differently but I don't think I did anything wrong.

I have on occasion needed to change my pads while two dd's
crammed in cubicle with me they were pretty uninterested in the process as they are generally fighting each other to open the door while I desperately shove my hand in the way to prevent the door opening... again not traumatising for them but pretty stressful for me!

I would have been very taken aback in this situation, and am sure I would have thought of nothing to say in reply. I would dismiss it afterwards, in my head, as there was nothing for anyone to be traumatised about, apart from the OP, on being accosted by a stranger, who said something weird. Presumably the other child was small, how on earth would he even know what was said, in a toilet cubicle, or what it meant.

fledermaus yes, I think the OP was being perfectly reasonable. I was agreeing with you saying 'Laughing at "that's right" being performance parenting' but there were a lot of x-posts.

Sanpro sound like something dyno-rod can install for you.

WellI never expected this many replies,thank you to those saying I WNBU as for being accused of performance parenting for answering quietly "that's right" that did make me laugh so thank you Hakuylt

Looks like your never going to please everyone, so you do what you think is right and sod the lot of em!

Yes Pag Thank you!

I thought 'Sanpro' were a type of toilet you could get without plumbing?

at any rate, surely tampon, towel or mooncup are as easy to type as 'sanpro' and don't make you sound like a giant twat?

My ds (aged 4) and dd (aged 5) know all about periods because they some into the toilet with me and ask questions. I answer simply and honestly in the same way as if they'd asked 'why do people poo?' or 'why do cats like to eat birds?'

Much better than my own mother when I asked what tampons were at aged 10 and received "never you mind" as a response.

I'm laughing out loud at the prudes on this thread who are shocked at child seeing their mother change her sanitary towel. Ha ha what sheltered lives you live. Obviously none of you have or have had young children who follow you to the loo every single time you go/ Either that or you have nannies on call 24/7.

That's saniflo

Oh don't be daft Scarlett.
I brought up my three and they never saw me change a tampon. They just never did. The sky wouldn't have fallen in if they had - I'm not a prude. It was just how it happened.
I am a sahm and one of my three has ASD and no, no nanny.

There is certainly a time and place for explaining things. I would not explain periods while someone else was trying to toast the bride and groom.

But I can't see what the problem is in mentioning them in a supermarket aisle or a toilet.

I don't think other parents have a right to prevent other people mentioning their period in the presence of a child. It really is the other parent's problem.

Hatty - After your experience I think I am lucky to have escaped the ire of another mother.

When I sent DD on a school residential trip she decided to take with her one of those tampax trial cases things - do you know the ones I mean? It's a pretty thing like a make up bag with information leaflets and different sizes of tampons in.
Apparently a couple of her friends in her room were like this and read everything voraciously

I got away lightly I think

Scarlett

your kids are in charge then? Maybe you need a nanny if you have to allow your dc to dictate who goes to the toilet with you.
Mine have never seen me change one neither, no biggie they just haven't.
No sheltered life, not a prude neither. however, I am/ was in charge of my children.

The first time my DD saw anyone changing a sanitary towel was when she walked in on my friend on the toilet. She was worried my friend was dying, so since then I have explained to her what was happening and she sees me change mine if she is in the bathroom/public toilet when Im doing it.

Personally, I think her having seen it again and had it explained to her is better, as previously she thought people where dying

Whether you do or don't, thats your prerogative, it doesn't make you any better or any worse.

This is off topic (sorry OP) but I found out about periods quite late (fings was different in them days - creak). I was never, ever aware of my mum having a period. How was that possible?
I did not enjoy dd shouting loudly about my 'furry bottom' (ahem) in a public loo the other day.....

Back on topic, OP, YANBU. You're quite brave though. If I started a topic like that with dd, it would go on for ages. I think at that age I'd fall back on a rather woolly, 'it's something grown up ladies do' type answer [coward]

Bearbehind, you have issues and no one was actively 'showing' a child a used sanitary pad.

I love it- just because i choose not to have an audience whilst i stick and tampon up my chuff- I have 'issues'

This thread is bonkers!

Don't be silly. She did not actively court an audience, nor change her pad as a performance for an 'audience'.

Her DD was, quite naturally, in the cubicle with her while she was changing a pad. The question arose, again, quite naturally. The OP answered it briefly and quietly.

Have a word with yourself, seriously.

My response would have been "It's about time you told your son some facts of life yourself then, you muppet."

Good on you, OP.

Some people would have a go at you for leaving your young child unattended in the toilets while you go in the cubicle. You can't win, OP.

Given the range of adult male behaviours from "oh, poor you, I'll make you a hot water bottle, bring you some nurofen and rub your back" through to taking a fit of the vapours at the embarrassment of being asked to pick up some tampax from the supermarket, I'm quite glad DS asked about this young enough to be given a matter-of-fact explanation from me. Hopefully it is now filed away in the "bodily functions, no big deal" part of his brain, with the result that when he's an adult (9 out of 10 chance of ending up with a female partner) he'll be on the former end of the spectrum rather than the latter, and will just be nice and considerate about periods rather than fainting dead away.

Just because your very young child is in the toilet with you, does not mean your not in charge of them, what rubbish. The crap some people come out with really!

I would never leave my toddler on his own outside the cubicle if out in public. Usually I'm fine and go beforehand, but if there is an emergency whilst out, then in he goes. No my 2 year old does not come with me at home.

Better safe than sorry!

OP - teaching a child about privacy and teaching them about their own body is not mutually exclusive.