Unopened sanitary towel

[Numberblocks10]

Currently got my period. When I got home from work yesterday I dropped my bag by mistake and everything fell out. I put everything back (or so I thought) but then around half an hour later 9yo DS found one of my sanitary towels on the floor, picked it up and asked what it was. Just to clarify, it was unused (obviously) and still in the packet. I must have missed it when I was picking up things from my bag.

DH then shouted at DS to put it down (literally shouted at him) and then shouted at me asking why it was there. I explained to him what happened and he said it’s weird to be leaving things like that lying around.

I asked him to explain why it was “weird” but he couldn’t answer me.

AIBU to feel hurt by this? I don’t understand his reaction.

Mine are left out (clean and in wrapper obvs), all the time. Kids find out in Primary and I think helps boys understand.

I remember the day I was out and when I got my money out from my purse, I’d hidden a tampax in there and it flew across the highly glossed bar! Barman had to hand it back to me - now that’s awkward!!! Although I did laugh with everyone else!

You’re married to an arse hole. Sorry

What a ridiculous manchild he is

Quite a few 9 year old girls will have started their periods or about to, and by 11 many of them will. Waiting u til that point is far, far too late.

That's amazing. I'm 51 and I do remember two girls starting at 11, but everyone else that I knew of, it seemed to be about 12-13. And 13 (just) for me.

Nine!!! Really? That is so young!

@CrystalShoe , some girls start having periods when they are 8 years old.
There were girls at primary school (1970s) who had started. We had the talk at secondary school.
Children seem to develop earlier now. Leaving it until age 11 is too late.

This is so odd!!!! What a strange reaction by your husband.

Id be leaving them all over the place from now onwards. Important for boys and young men to know what they are and not be embarrassed about it all.

My son goes through mine and my older girls boxes as we buy them in bulk as there are 4 of us using them soon to be 5 and he opens them and sticks them to his feet. My son is 3 will be 4 in Feb and he has seen me change them in the baby room in public toilets when I need to change them. He knows mummy bleeds from her vagina but obviously doesnt understand the concept of why I bleed he just knows it happens. My husband thinks its hilarious my son sticks them to his feet and slides about the house. My husband also empties the bathroom bin and will get me new packets of pads if iv run out in the bathroom. He will also go to town and buy them in bulk and not feel sickened or embarrassed. When our kids first get their periods and they may leave messes while they are learning, my husband will help clean it up. Your husband was very weird about it and you should teach your son its very normal and not disgusting.

I was 9 (I’m 41 now) when I started mine

my dad is 75 and when I got diagnosed with endometriosis he went off and googled and sent articles to me he found etc. no embarrassment at all

Yeah that's a very weird reaction. I've seen some lovely little packs for 10-15/16yr old boys that mean that they can help a classmate if they notice she's leaked or if she confides in them, it had sanitary bits and some mini chocolates etc. I want my kids to know it isnt tabboo and how to be helpful/deal with it all maturely. I think the more we raise boys to understand it and support girls/women the better. They'll be much better off if they know to pass their gf/female friend a tampon and a dairy milk/paracetemol/ hot water bottle than if they shriek and run in the manner of your DH....

Is he from the 1950s?

YANBU

DH shouldn’t shout at your DS or you. And certainly not for picking up a sanitary towel in its packet in his own home.

Sanitary towels are a typical bathroom/handbag/left on the side item for a woman, like hand cream. Just as shaving cream/gel may be for a man.

Sounds like your DH has some issues.

I’d be horrified if anyone behaved like.

Wth. This is wild and your husband needs to grow up.
My ten year old son knows exactly what a period is, exactly what pads are, and is sympathetic to all of the women's and girls who have to deal them.
Please do educate both your son and husband. Sadly some of our generations parents were too busy seeing and not hearing us to offer education on these things....hence your husband's reaction.

What a fcking manchild

Your husband is weird
There is absolutely nothing wrong with children boys or girls knowing what sanitary products are and what they look like and what they are for

Please correct the man child you chose to marry and raise a better man than he is

That’s a ridiculous reaction and it’s so wrong to shout at your son for picking it up. At nine years old you could have used the occasion to give him a no frills explanation. Perhaps your husband needs one too.

Agree. It’s how they learn gradually without the need for a ‘big reveal’ talk. I’ve never hidden condoms in packets. If the kids asked what they were I told them in an age-appropriate way. Obvs didn’t leave them on display or anywhere they could mess with them when young. But have never hidden them or worried about them seeing them. They’re a responsible and pretty typical item. Once they were teens, they were left in a basket in the bathroom cabinet. So, they could take one if needed.

Yep. I was 12 when I started and was one of the first of my friends, but periods are starting earlier now - food? Environments? I have no idea why. But by year 6 (10/11) lots of my sons female friends had started.

My daughter is 6 and knows all about them (as my sons did at that age), and when she's 8/9, we will talk more about the options available to her and look at getting supplies in ready. I use a cup which she knows about, but shes never seen me use pants/tampons/pads (which shes aware of but never seen in our house) so we will talk about all of those to make sure ahes aware there are lots of options.

This thread has also made me realise i need to buy some pads and tampons for the bathroom as my teenage sons have girlfriends now!

I think you need to have words with your husband, unless you want your son to behave the same way?

How could your child not know what they are? I’m sure they actually get shown them in primary sex ed now. And my son was 10 during Covid, he was the only one not infected with it so he went into Tesco with the top-up shopping list that week, and I had sanitary towels on it with a description of where they were and what ones to buy and showed him the packed before he went in. He got most of the shopping list correct, including the sanitary towels!

Are you married to a fucking 5 year old? How pathetic.

This actually gives me the rage as attitudes such as this is why young girls are so embarrassed about periods. It is a TOTALLY NORMAL bodily function!!!

Imagine having to have sex with such a man, depressing.

My 9 year old boy knows about periods but not about sex. I've just explained that grown up ladies have a "little bleed" once a month and need a sanitary towel in their knickers, unwrapped a (clean) sanitary towel to show him. He did have a couple of questions but none that led to me having to explain what sex is. (He asked me if it hurt I think because he associated blood with being injured, so I told him I get a tummy ache and a hot water bottle but it doesn't really hurt when blood comes out.) I might have linked it to something that happens because ladies have babies, can't remember. But definitely did not end up explaining penatrative sex.

He also knows babies come out of vaginas, but hasn't asked how they get in quite yet. That conversation is probably coming up though🤣

This is so weird. Both your husbands misogynistic reaction and your 9 year old not knowing what a sanitary towel is.

Do you ever ask him (the grown man of the house supposedly) to pick you up period products from the shop op?

Would he be the same if you had dropped a condom?