To have told son I couldn’t go swimming as I have a period

[Bouliegirl]

This morning DS8 asked if we could go swimming. I told him no, as I have a period. But we could probably got at the weekend. He was happy enough and shuffled off

My MIL was horrified that I told him this and said that I shouldn’t be talking about periods with a male relative

Some of these replies are missing the point imo. Op didn’t tell her DS that women can’t swim when they have periods, just that she personally can’t because of hers.
And when did women stop being able to choose what period products they want to use? If someone doesn’t want to put something in their vagina then they don’t bloody have to!

Exactly. I'm lucky enough to have always had straightforward periods. Some women don't and may not feel confident swimming.

I can't go swimming inthe first two days of my period as it's so heavy I use a moon cup and a pad and still leak through.

Why don't you read the thread?

On the other hand, some of us have children who just barge into the bathroom while you're there.

I have a 2 year old who has walked in and said "mummy you hurt!" Because she saw the blood in a pad I was changing.

So she'll be aware of periods and the implications for her, me and other women from a very early age.

I don't recall learning about periods. They were something I just always knew about. Presumably for the same reason, I'll have just seen them being dealt with.

They aren't taboo, and not a thing children "don't want to know about". They are just part of life and kids should know that.

Your DS at some point I hope can understand that not all women have the same impacts each month when having periods. There may be other children whose mothers are able to go swimming when having their periods, who also have mothers able to talk to their sons as you do.

On the other hand, some of us have children who just barge into the bathroom while you're there.

DD was never a bathroom barger. Our bathroom has a lock on it. Besides, I had DD later in life and stopped having periods when she was still at primary school.

To those of you who saying the op is BU that she didn’t tell her son that some women can swim during their periods, Do you tell your DC that some women can’t?

They might grow up feeling as though all women can and then won’t understand when their partner says no.

If you haven’t had that conversation with your DCs it’s a little hypocritical to be criticising the OP.

Exactly, the op was talking to her son about what she could/couldn’t do. Why would she randomly say…some women can? It wasn’t relevant to her son or her period.

I think some are just arguing for the sake of arguing it is MN

why would op’s ds be at all interested or need to know or show any vague interest in knowing Emma who lives next door can go swimming when she is on her period

it just wouldn’t register the conversation was about why op and her ds are not going swimming further to that her ds will have no interest he is 8 if he does he will ask questions

when he is older he will learn right now it simply doesn’t matter

This thread is one of the wildest I've read on here.

It's like people want to force OP to go swimming when she's not comfortable too. I am the same where I cannot and will not swim on the first day/two days of my period as Tampons wouldn't be enough. Even if they could, not feeling confident is reason enough. I'm struggling to see why so many women aren't understanding this.

Also, water doesnt stop your period ffs. Even if it did...great ill just leave a trail of blood on the way to the changing room shall I?

Ours also has a lock on it, but if I need to go when I'm the only adult in the house with DD, I'm not locking any door between me and a 2 year old.

And as sometimes there's no option but to go deal with bodily functions, the consequence is that sometimes my child will see me dealing with normal bodily functions. And she's inquisitive, even at 2, and asks questions. While I'm not going to go into the full menstrual cycle with her, why would I say anything other than "mummy's got her period, it's a thing that happens to big girls"? No point lying to her, she'll know at some point.

WHY does it matter so much?

The OP is not writing a guide book for school, she is talking to her son! It's utterly ridiculous to turn any conversation into a full lecture. The subject will surely come back at some point.

No need to go and on about the different sizes of tampons, of sanitary towels, the various effects of periods on different women.

I wonder if some people think you should try all matter of ineffective methods or do what you don’t want to do re your period just to take your child swimming.

Its ok folks, children don’t have to get their way all the time - it’s good for them to see that others have needs too!

and my view is that it doesn't matter if it made it sound like it's a "universal consequence". If it was a little girl, I suppose you could add a small "women have different periods, don't worry", but again the subject will come back.

Don't get me wrong, nowhere in the same league as all the ridiculous people painfully parroting "but wear a tampon" - but the level of stupidity on this thread is endless on that one

Exactly ... I can imagine people who do speak like this are completely insufferable to have a normal conversation with.

Why was @politicalintrigue s post removed? I mean, they are a pain in the arse and personally id rather be able to mute them, but was what they said so bad?

Why are people telling her to swim if she's on her period ?

I will go on day 3/4 but not day 1 or 2. Last time I risked it I wore a moon cup, and as I was luckily in the steam room not pool, but noticed blood dripping down my thighs. I had to have my friend walk close behind me and awkwardly shuffle to toilet to shower. If i was in the pool it would have been noticed. On first days I usually double up with cup and pads as I always leak through.

not sure, it's nearly a shame to make the worst comments disappear. It's astonishing the nonsense people come up with.