Mom throws a ‘period party’ against her daughter’s will — when dad tries to intervene, it backfires
Puberty is a confusing time for kids as they undergo significant physical and emotional changes. Hormonal fluctuations and physical maturation greatly affect every youngster’s social dynamics, leading to feelings of awkwardness and uncertainty, per Kids' Health. When a 12-year-old walked up to her dad to inform him that she had gotten her first period, he stepped into the shoes of a supportive dad. He found everything within his reach to help her through the period while his wife was away at work. All seemed to go well until her mom returned and decided to throw a “period party” for her to celebrate.
On Reddit, the dad (u/YocaLocaChoca) narrated the entire ordeal that went down in his home in an elaborate post. The 43-year-old father shared his family background, claiming he and his wife, 42, had two daughters, 19 and 16 years old. While the elder one was outgoing and extroverted, the younger daughter was shy and a homebody. A few months ago, his 12-year-old had looked up to him for guidance on managing her first period. “I play the supportive dad, comfort her, and get her a box of sanitary pads my wife had bought earlier in the year, and go over the instructions with her,” he wrote in the Reddit post.
Later, he told his daughter that it was nothing to be “embarrassed” about and gave her some ice cream and Midol, a medication to relieve period pain. Both father and daughter were content with the situation now. However, things took an unexpected turn when his wife returned home. When the 12-year-old informed her about her first period, the mother broke down into tears and pitched a “period party” to mark the milestone. Though well-intentioned, it was not something the young girl was comfortable with. She “immediately closes off, says she doesn't want a PP, doesn't want anyone to know. Wife tries to talk to her some more, but the 12-year-old ignores her and goes to her room.”
The mom chose to go ahead with the party regardless of her daughter’s consent. Two days later, the dad entered his house to find the living room decorated in a “super sweet sixteen” fashion while a bunch of women attended it as the guests. Before witnessing the scene, his daughter’s unusual behavior had raised suspicion about her mother’s whereabouts. Eventually, the parents got into a disagreement on what was best for their daughter. "She told you specifically she didn't want one of these,” the dad stated. His wife responded with an ignorant remark. She said, “Oh, she didn't mean that. This is an important time for a girl; she needs to know not to be ashamed of her body.”
While the father tried to emphasise that their daughter was getting a grasp on periods in her own way, in private, her mom insisted that the party would help her develop a positive attitude towards it. Her father had his foot on the ground, not allowing his wife to force their daughter to partake in her endeavor. The wife was forced to call off the party when he informed the guests about her doings. “Several of the moms frown at her, my wife starts to backpedal, talking about how she didn't think the 12-year-old was being serious,” the post detailed. Finally, the mom issued an apology to her daughter but was upset with her husband for a week. The post was upvoted 58,000 times with ample support for the father’s decision.