To be shocked at Dd's friend's tampon experience

[EdithBouvierBeale]

DD is ten and her class just had the period chat at school. One little girl, whose mum is a GP, was shown how to insert a tampon. Her mother demonstrated on herself by lying on her bed while her 10 year old DD watched.

It's the kind of thing that the Mum might think was really open, and free and frank, and wow - don't we have this, like, amazingly open relationship... while the DD is just utterly mortified and willing it to stop. 😭

I like the finger up the nose comparison

Not sure how I feel about this really. My DD is 5 and has seen me insert tampons countless times so maybe, hopefully, she'll just remember? She sees me naked all the time and that's bound to continue even at 10 but that's different from lying down and demonstrating tampon insertion! I don't fancy the idea of demonstrating it to her when she's 10!

I use a menstrual cup now anyway and she hasn't seen me insert that though she has seen it and knows what its for. But at least giving some explanation is good I think - I didn't use tampons until I was in my 20s and the instructions were not very helpful. Wish my mum had told me about them and explained them as I hated using pads.

MistressMerryWeather you made me genuinely LOL!
Ds asked what I was laughing about (I did NOT tell him!)

im alittle bit [shocked] at the amount of ppl on here that had to have their mum, sister, neighbour help them pit a tampon in. how hard can it be .theres only one way it can go or am i missing something
maybe they should have sat navs on them save any confusion

My children have seen me put tampons/mooncup in as well. Although I'm not lying down actually showing them my vagina.

I see nothing wrong with what the mother done. However, I wouldn't do that unless specifically asked by my child for an actual demonstration.

I don't think it is wrong or disgusting. It's just a body part.

I'm a little bit eww. Nakedness and bodily functions are pretty normalised in our house mainly as we only have one bathroom (and one toilet in said bathroom). There is a big difference though between your kids being aware of what you're doing and a whole gynae display.
I'm not sure it would be helpful either as you can't really see what's going on internally.
I really struggled to use tampons (started periods age 11) and my mum did give me some helpful tips such as to try firstly inserting my finger when in the bath and relaxed and push towards the small of my back. This worked as I had been angling it all wrong.

I struggled with putting tampons in for a long time. It wasn't until I had my son that I could use them comfortably.

Yes, there is only one way it can go in but it's all in the angle isn't it?

I have a very open relationship with my DD who is now at university. We tall about all sorts. And her friends talk to me as well. Even ds's friends tell me stuff they would never tell their own Mothers.
Nothing shocks or surprises me.

It's shocking for me, because I don't see myself ever being able to wonder around naked infront of my kids. I don't even let my sisters see me. Let alone would get my badger out and stick a tampon inside while DD is between my legs or at the end of the bed. But I don't think it's wrong or perverted, more that they are a family who are completely comfortable with their bodies and see being naked as more natural than ever.

Of course, just a thorough explanation would've done.

how hard can it be .theres only one way it can go

Well, I didn't realise you needed to push the applicator up inside. I thought you just put it at the entrance and the applicator pushed the tampon in.

If I were to demonstrate it to DD, I think I'd use a fist.

maybe ive got a big fanjo

Lol @ fist.
Reminds me of the infamous thread in Sex topic

Ah... perhaps I could have phrased that better. Obviously I meant putting the tampon in my fist and not my fist up my fanjo! :o

that would be a whole heap of wrong!!

It's certainly a one. But if it works for them.

I think I'd be mortified if my mother did that to show me though. And id never think of doing that to show my daughter! X

It's interesting that not a single poster has been able to express a reason as to why they think it's wrong - just lots of eww, no.

I think it's great. Good for them, sounds like she's very comfortable with her body and they've a great relationship.

Why, oh why are we so squeamish about our bodies in this country?

I doubt she displayed herself in all her glory to her daughter, probably just showed her how to get the angle right. I think 10 is young enough to do this, at 12 she'd probably be mortified!

Lying down is a good tip tbh to get the aim to the small of your back rather than just 'up.'

I couldn't use tampons for a good 2 years, I just don't think I was developed enough and I tried everything, mind you back then the choice was Tampax or Lilets none of the nice teenage ranges there are now.

It sounds a bit eww to me too. I have three sons, so have no idea whether it's usual for 11 or 12 year olds to use tampons. I was probably around 15 when I started using them and was quite able to follow the instructions with no demonstration necessary.

As long as she also explains the need to change it regularly it seems so obvious in hindsight

My child-self didn't realise that so much blood was involved.

I don't think a demo is especially necessary but if it worked for them then why not?

I don't know what everyone is more shocked about - the girls age? Or her seeing her mums privates?

The first point is valid, but I don't see why it's so awful for a mother and child to have such a comfortable relationship? It's admirable really, and I wouldn't hesitate to do the same - if needed. If it's not needed then I probably wouldn't go down the route but I guess that's each parents lookout.

I had a friend at the age of 19 whose mum helped her put in her first tampon....