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...

Meant dh had 5 sisters

YANBU. My teenage DS knows about periods, too - it's a perfectly normal thing that boys should know about, not some kind of hidden mystery. He's gone and bought me a packet of pads from the corner shop by himself without having a fit of the vapours, even.

My dh has 3 brothers and didn't even know periods existed until he was 14! He is still totally grossed out by it and will not discuss it. It's weird and a huge pain in the arse. Thank God your boys won't be like that!!

I feel sorry for her kids.

You sound like you are raising men op not boys. Good for you

Good grief, your friend is ridiculous! My DSs went through a phase of of screeching 'eeuugh' whenever periods were mentioned but DD and I made point of being quite graphic for a while and they are now very able to deal with it . Right down to shopping for tampons if needed.

She’s a single mum with daughters, no brothers and a very traditional Dad, so maybe she just can’t compute the fact that males might know about these things, like it or not.

Thanks for the replies all, her reaction had me really questioning myself! I shall carry on as normal.

Oh ffs....she is hugely wrong.

DS knows about periods and he is 5.

Its a natural bodily function and the more men who grow up thinking its normal, and to help, the.bloody better.

Keep it to yourself. You are discussing it with a child for attention and sympathy.

Woman-up and deal with it.

My step-mother-in-law used to announce her latest episode of diarrhea at the dinner table and my brother-in-law, who has to change his wife diapers, always tells us what's in her poo. It’s all natural right. He informed us one time that he’d come to the conclusion his wife is not chewing her food anymore because he'd picked out and examined whole berries from her poo. We don’t invite him to our house anymore for dinner because he is making us feel sick.

Do you talk about your menses when eating with friends and family or is this just something you inflict on your poor son?

No op. Your friend is right. All women should uphold the illusion that females just have a flat blank space between their legs, like barbie .

Keep right on raising those boys as you are. They will make wonderful mature boyfriends , then husbands.

I think it’s hard to avoid. My five year old popped to a public loo and someone hadn’t flushed properly and he saw the blood and asked and I explained. It’s a fact of life.

@charolais woman-up? Really?

@charolais Are you on glue?

Your friend is silly.

And yes, I make it a point to discuss my menses in GREAT DETAIL with my son when he’s eating. Beetroot soup with rare venison anyone? 👍🙄

Woah Charolais I know right?! How sickening that OPs son knows about such a natural, normal, healthy and HUGE aspect of women’s lives...

GF.

OP has already stated she’s doesn’t go into detail about her period, her son knows she has periods and is happy to be helpful when needed and is understanding towards his mum. This is a great attitude to have, the men that grow up and are grossed out by periods are pathetic and the ones that don’t think women poo or fart are also bloody insane. I think I’d rather he had an inderstanding and empathetic view of periods for his own sake.

And just to add...the following link is a good reason to be open about periods with your children. Can you imagine being a fully grown adult and actually thinking this.. www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/kellyoakes/weirdest-period-misconceptions

(Lighthearted. It gave me a good laugh)

I mention it to my two sons who are 13 and 9. It happens to half the population!

How does your friend imagine doctors or surgeons cope?

Your friend is daft! Nothing more shameful about periods than a runny nose.

Charloais

Did you get the term mensis from an American sit com? So people use that term? Never heard it in rl.

Discussing any bodily fluid over meals is strange but your relative sounds frankly insane.

Nothing to compare to the op. Maybe you need to access help for your relative

I grew up in a house where I had to keep my period a secret and wasn't allowed to mention it at all .

As a consequence, my now 4 yr old knows all about periods already. Totally normal.

you sound normal. You boys sound great. your friend sounds like her head is in the 50's. Ignore!

I think it's really healthy. If they're straight then their future partners won't have to deal with men who are baffled, scared and disgusted by periods. Good for you.

OH lord disneydatknee those had me howling! Dp stopped and said ‘what on earth are you laughing at?’ So I simply said ‘periods..’ and his response ‘well if you can’t beat em join em.’

My little DS is 2...was in the loo with me on my last period and pointed at my pad, and said "Oh look...mummy nappy!"

FWIW I will be raising him exactly as you are, NORMALISING the normal. I'm a primary school teacher, last year one of my year 4 girls got her period around Easter.
There was a leaking incident where she got a splodge soak through her skirt whilst sitting, which was luckily noticed by a boy on her table, who was evidently raised as your son was. He came straight up to me and whispered to me "Mrs Trout, Matilda (NC) has something on her skirt. I think she might need a pad." And I was able to deal with it discreetly with minimal trauma for the girl.