to say I needed tampons?

[MakeYerOwnDamnDinner]

Eek, please be gentle, as I have been worrying myself sick over this.

Scenario is: I have been expecting ds father to come and pick him up since lunchtime, and have waited in for him. My period has arrived sooner than expected and I need to buy tampons.

Ds father has still not arrived by 3.30 and the shops will close soon. So i say to ds we need to go to the shops. We will just have to leave a note on the door for your father, but I can't wait any longer.

Ds goes on and on 'we don't need to go, we went yesterday, what do we need e.c.t e.c.t'
He is eleven, and has been given age appropriate books on the 'facts of life'

In the end I say 'look, I've got my period and I have to buy tampons o.k.? He looks vaguely uncomfortable, but shuts up and gets in the car.

Now I'm really worried that that was completely innapropriate. What do you think?

YANBU at all, rather instilling in him and understanding of Women, you should be proud!

FWIW, my parents were ridiculously circumspect around anything relating to 'down there'. Its instilled in me a very strong and what I expect will be a lifelong embarrassment of anything along those lines.

Had to purchase my first box of Tampax for about 4 years after having my Mirena removed recently and burned with shame in the petrol station queue. Not good.

I remember asking my brother to buy me a box of tampons when I was about 14, so he would have been 16, my ma was disgusted and went mental at me, saying it was completely inappropriate to ask him and how embarrassed he would be, etc.
He, on the other hand, being a modern and sensitive young man, merely looked nonplussed and asked what size?

My 5 year old boy already has a very vague idea about such things being very nosy, and will learn more as and when appropriate. You do them no favours hiding such things from your boys.....

YANBU at all. He's not going to curl up and die from knowing his mum gets a period. He will get a girlfriend and need to deal with it one day. It's not a big deal at all.

FAB - only because I hate buying them myself, especially if it's all I need (I know, I know - but I do!), so have never asked a DP to buy them for me, let alone an EX DP. Also, depends on the relationship with the ex doesn't it, some of them you wouldn't want to ask, even if it was just a pint of milk!

Of cours YANBU its a biological fact that he needs to know about.

I've explained my mooncup to ds who is 5. He asked so I told him, he said "girl things scare me"

DS knows what pads are for (he was helping me put shopping away). Wouldn't hesitate to tell him why if I needed to dash off and get some. DH has picked them up for me before as well, Dad used to do the weekly shop in our house and kept us all supplied.

Christ no, of course your OK in saying that. My mum would have sent my brother up to Superdrug to buy them for her (she remembers with mortification the day when she couldn't be arsed to go to the tampon aisle, so sent him to pick up some pads, he yelled out in all innocence 'mum, do you have the heavy or the super heavy ones' (he was about 9).

The earlier they learn about these kind of things the better. I imagine my brother is cool around his girlfriend, and doesn't get all icky when the subject of periods comes upm which is how it should be.

Mind you, brother got mum back (he is 22 now) - sauntered over to her trolley in Tesco and hurled some Tena lady in and sad (loudly) 'think you need some more of these, mum'

Oh and yes I would be more of a 'we are going to the shop' no nonsense person anyway.