DD demanding chocolate when she's on her period

[Homeymum2]

My 14 yo DD insists that all her friends parents buy them chocolates and pamper them when they are cycling -

I'm being told I'm a terrible mum and badgered for chocolates

Am I an outlier to not cater to this?

This!

Op has another thread going....

The thought of having chocolate routinely stocked in the house confuses me to be honest. It’s a treat.

We have a biscuit jar which I stock with two packets of biscuits when I do the food shop. We like to have these with a brew but when they’re gone they’re gone until the next food shop. DH also likes to have a small packet of crisps and a small snack (like a two finger kitkat or a club bar) with his packed lunch for work so I buy these for that purpose only. He knows if he eats them in the mean time they won’t be replaced and he won’t get them in his lunch either so they specifically stay on the packed lunch shelf.

DH has to work every second Sunday so on the days he’s off we have a hearty meal like a roast dinner or a pie and we have dessert after it, like cake and custard. But that’s because it’s a treat and only twice a month. Apart from that no chocolates in our house and we certainly don’t ration and I’m not anti upf or anything like that!

Obviously we get them for Christmas, birthdays etc and as a one off treat but definitely not regularly. I think DH would faint if he opened the cupboard after a food shop and I’d stocked it with chocolate.

Only on MN.”Demanding chocolate.”
Making demands at age 14.

😉😁😁.

Since at least 1961 according to my mother

But you're determining what things you think they 'need' (just clocked you're the poster not wanting to get her any make up remover as well in your other thread) - and it sounds like she's telling you something she needs; in this case, it's an emotional/psychological need to feel some softness, some gentleness, a touch of the being looked after like when she was smaller. Which, for her, includes chocolate - cheaper and more easily accessible in February than DD2's food to solve all problems in the world for an hour or so (an entire punnet of strawberries eaten whilst in a warm bubbly bath).

Just because they're easily five to six inches taller than you and a hundred times louder at this age, that doesn't mean they aren't still children - and children that feel ill, are tired, in pain and feeling just Ugh with the whole thing, knowing they've got another 40-odd years of this. It doesn't hurt you, it's not stupidly expensive, it's recognising she needs a bit more caring than being told to pull herself together because nobody cared about you.

I can't believe there are actually people who think this poor child's medicinal chocolate should come out of her pocket money.

Do you tell your growing lad who wants seconds to pay for extras out of his piggy bank or is it just girls you expect to ignore what their teen bodies' are hankering for?

I don't respond to demands. Asking politely would be very different.

Though we always have chocolate in anyway.

We don't make a deal of periods in our house. My daughters or I wouldn't never think of a "pamper" to deal with it. Why on earth would you? I just thought of it as a normal day???

They have chocolate on the odd occasion but its not period related!

It's not uncommon to crave chocolate whilst on period. I used to like choclate digestive biscuits.

For goodness sake, be glad she doesn't demand it the rest of the time.

Periods are part and package of being female. They are nothing special and don’t require special treatment or pampering for heavens sake.

I always thought 'cycling' was riding a bike. If that's her quirk and people are prepared to supply, it's fine. Teenagers are daft.

Why do people say ‘it’s just a normal day’. It’s such a weird way to talk about periods. I mean clearly if you have a cold or a difficult day at work it’s just a ‘normal day’ but presumably it’s fine to have a pick me up treat then?

Why are periods different? What’s wrong with wanting something nice when we’re feeling a bit rubbish?

This with knobs on. 👏👏

I find the cliche of women demanding chocolate and princess treatment on their period bizarre and infantile.

I have had periods for getting on for 25 years and never had the need for chocolate or 'pampering'... in fact I can't think of much worse, if anything id much rather be left alone if its bad.

I mean if its really bad then someone getting you sanitary products or painkillers or watching the kid so you can nap etc... just general human care (like you would if someone you love had a migraine or flu etc... and you could help) is nice to have (although something many don't have access too because single adults usually look after themselves) but not throwing a fit demanding sweeties and pampering.

I always crave chocolate at that time of the month.

My 13 year old craves sushi and spicy noodle soup during her period. I buy her a small packet of sushi from the supermarket and make her homemade noodle soup. She rarely lets me spoil her so I look forward to the ritual. We both have horrific periods so anything to get her through it.

Does she not get pocket money to be able to buy her own? That way if she's spent it all you can just say we'll when it's gone it's gone? If she's secondary school age does she not get 10 or 20 pounds a month to spend for herself?

Is it really such a big sacrifice to get her some chocolate, painkillers, a hot water bottle and a little tlc?

I buy youngest dd a big bar of chocolate.

a banana eery day, vat B12 and a regular run or cardio sport will help periods...

dark 90% chocolate maybe beneficial, but of course thats not the type of chocolate she meant was it

She's 14 for heaven's sake.

Pampering- absolutely not, catch a grip.

Chocolate- for her period? No. Because she fancies a treat, yes, why not?

yes I mentioned upthread I'm sure the choc craving is about magnesium (which can be a bit lower when menstruating) I think but can't quite remember. Dark chocolate is obviously best but not everyone likes it esp young people ime. I imagine it's also our body chasing serotonin on our period too.

Also can't remember the details but there was a study where toddlers ate the food they were deficient in? Not saying she has a deficiency but, yes, you're right that our cravings often mean something.

Of course sometimes we just fancy cake too for no reason! But it's simply wrong when some competitive undereaters say cravings never have scientific basis.