What to tell a 3yo boy about tampons?

I was at the grocery store the other day. I was looking in the freezer section and not paying much attention to the jabber of my 3yo. "Mommy what's this? Mommy what's this? Mommy what's this for? etc etc" I look up and he has a tampon, unwrapped and out of the applicator and in his mouth!!! :icon_eek: :rofl: :rofl: I quickly took it away and shoved it back into my purse. I just told him "that's mommy's, leave it alone and stay out of my purse." I was mortified. He obviously had it out long enough to get it unwrapped and all. People must have been dying!

Then today, I took him to his Christian Church Preschool for school pictures. We were sitting and waiting out turn. He starts rummaging in my purse and very quickly pulled another tampon out..."Mommy what is this thing?" :blush: I just shoved it back in and told him to nevermind. But he kept saying "mommy what is it?"

He is VERY smart and verbal. He also has a fantastic memory. He won't forget this. I won't be able to brush him aside for long. What do you tell a very smart and verbal 3yo about what a tampon is??? I don't want to be graphic. I know if I say something about it being a mommy bandaid (heard that somewhere) then he will just keep on with the "whys" and the "hows." I have visions of this conversation going where I don't want it to go!! LOL!

Any advice? Those with boys...?

Thanks!

 

Rhea - I am no help, but I am dreading the time when Maggie, who also has the memory of an elephant, starts finding things I don't want her to find. Let me know what you do so I can borrow it for my oldest. :laughing: :hug99:

 

lol i saw this on she's the man on t.v. just tell him it's for nosebleeds LMAO. if your nose starts to bleed just use this as a plug. then you can tell him mommy's are always prepared. you should aslo keep some bandaids in you purse just to show him them too.

 

:laughing: He's a keeper, Rhea! I always tell my kids that's one of mommy's special mommy things. And let it go at that. If they persist with the questions like 'what's it for' I say, for mommy. Just for Mommy! Over and over, they get it and stop.

 

I'm one of those who says something like, "Oh those are for mommies. Only mommies need them, not little boys."

 

hahahahaha, sorry but that is too funny!

 

Micah never opened one up but I told him it was a "princess" thing...since I'm the only girl in the house, I'm the only princess...he doesn't ask anymore, at 4 and in school- he does not want to be a princess, only Spiderman or a Ninja Turtle

 

:rotflmbo:

Too funny! I like the princess thing but I call Indira a princess so I dont' want her asking that young. The mommy thing seems logical.

 

Thanks you guys. But so far, I don't see any of the suggestions working. He's far to inquisitive to drop it after a simple "they are mommy's." And I'm not so sure he doesn't want to be a princess...lol.

I like the nose bleed one, but I can totally see him getting one and insisting on using it!! LMAO!

 

:rofl: I have no idea Rhea - but I'm sure Ian will start that soon - he's already grabbed my bag of pads and threw them in the toilet!

 

:rotflmbo: just think of all the funny stories you can tell about the tampon in the nose. :rotflmbo: if you do say it then if he does try it make sure you get a picture of it :rotflmbo: good blackmail for the future.

ok tell him they are for mommies only when she has a boo boo.

 

Tell him a semi truth. Tell him it is called a tampon and it is something that only really big girls have to use and he will never have to use it.

 

:lol:!! At around 2 1/2 I was rushing around trying to get ready for something and undressed to jump in the shower. On my way there, one of my sons pointed at my naked crotch and said, "Wha dat rope!?" :blush:!!! "Uh, what are you doing in here? It's....it's...nothing!" :laughing:
Eventually I told them it's something big girls need. I just recently told them about a period (it was part of a book on the body) and they were NOT AT ALL INTERESTED! :lol:

 

I like the "It's something big girls need". I would just be consistent about your answers and (although it will get old) keep answering the "why's" with the same thing.

 

QUOTE(Ellen Barr @ Apr 18 2008, 07:24 AM) [snapback]727632[/snapback]
I just recently told them about a period (it was part of a book on the body) and they were NOT AT ALL INTERESTED! :lol:


That's actually a good point.....maybe if you tell him the full and complete truth, he'll never ask for more details next time you say it's just for mommy!

 

Priceless! :laughing:


I would probably say this:

QUOTE(rubyturquoise @ Apr 18 2008, 12:38 PM) [snapback]727458[/snapback]
I'm one of those who says something like, "Oh those are for mommies. Only mommies need them, not little boys."

 

I know Titus asked me about these already, but I don't remember what I told him!!! I think I said something similar to a pp said. Something about mommy's need it only not boys. AND that his big sister will only need it when she's old enough to be a mommy. I wasn't totally honest, but I did tell him a partial truth! HTH! GL!

 

My kids got into my tampons and thought they were related to Q-tips - they were trying to use them to clean their ears!

As for the nosebleed answer, I have heard that they are actually good for that (as long as you have the right size I guess). Didn't they show that once on Sex and the City? So that's probably a good answer, as it's not even a lie.

-Rachel

 

DS found a box packed away and asked me what they were. I just told him they are "Medicine for Mommy." He didn't ask any more questions and if he sees the box (very rare since I'm obviously not using them right now) he just says "Those are Mommy's medicines." He knows I take different medicines and vitamins than him so if I want to drink/eat/use something without sharing with him I can generally get away with telling him they are my "medicine." :laughing: It works out great for me.

 

I forgot to lock the bathroom door once and DS1 walked in on me. He asked what it(tampon) was for. Like I do for all his "out there" questions, I turned it around and asked him. He said, "it is to plug in your butt so that you don't step on a duck (our word for farting), because moms don't step on ducks (don't know where he got that from)" He seemed satisfied with his anwer and didn't mention it again. I did tell him that the whole world didn't need to know about it.
At the school I worked at we always turned "awkward" questions back on the kids. We didn't want any parent to get upset that we gave too many details about a touchy subject. Usually kids already have an answer to their questions.
Good Luck

Cari

 

I told my 3 yo that it's called a tampon and that I use it once a month to help me stay clean and it is mommy's, please don't unwrap any more of them and flush them down the toilet. She does know what a period is though, she started walking in on my bathroom time when she was 2.

 

QUOTE(jenn- @ Apr 18 2008, 02:15 PM) [snapback]727618[/snapback]
Tell him a semi truth. Tell him it is called a tampon and it is something that only really big girls have to use and he will never have to use it.

That's probably more or less what I'd do. But my 2yo is currently obsessed with my bra, and will suddenly pull my shirt up in a public place to look at it, so what do I know?

QUOTE
it's called a tampon and that I use it once a month to help me stay clean and it is mommy's, please don't unwrap any more of them and flush them down the toilet

:laughing:

 

QUOTE
He said, "it is to plug in your butt so that you don't step on a duck (our word for farting), because moms don't step on ducks (don't know where he got that from)"


:rotflmbo:

Actually rotflmbo does not BEGIN to describe it! We need a smiley of rotflmboapmp (and peeing my pants)!!! Oh my oh my oh my! Thank you for a GREAT laugh today! :lol:

 

Thank you for the laugh I needed today! Kids are so persistant on many things but I know from personal experience my kids drove me insane over these things. AKA Mommies diapers. lol

 

I don't have any suggestions. That is a total blackmail story when he gets older. :laughing:

 

:rotflmbo: This thread has me rolling! When Justin and Hannah were young they would call them 'potty strings'. I tell them it's for mommy's boo boo.

 

:rotflmbo: :rotflmbo: :rotflmbo: Thank you so much for that laugh Rhea! I wish I had some advice, sorry!!

 

QUOTE(becky5 @ Apr 19 2008, 05:59 PM) [snapback]729722[/snapback]
I tell them it's for mommy's boo boo.


The problem with this is that he will want to kiss mommy's boo boo! :rotflmbo: :wacko:

I love all of your stories. Especially the stepping on a duck! LOL!

I think with this kid, I'll just have to do the direct approach and tell him it's a Tampon and that they are for mommy's. I don't think he'll buy anything else.

 

This is my first post, but I laughed so hard reading some of your answers that I had to share my own story. As I never go to the bathroom alone, 2 year twin boys and almost 4 year old daughter, I was trying to hurry through the process before anyone noticed what I was doing...at just the right moment, Kylee says "Mommy, why did you just stick string cheese in your booty?" I just laughed hysterically and changed the subject! I think I would just go with it is something that Mommies use...end of story until your son is much older. Easier said than done as is much of life with kids!

 

LMAO LMAO LMAO! This thread is cracking me up! STring cheese, LMAO! :laughing: :rotflmbo:

 

QUOTE(mommy23monkeys @ Apr 19 2008, 10:10 PM) [snapback]729796[/snapback]
The problem with this is that he will want to kiss mommy's boo boo! :rotflmbo: :wacko:

:laughing:


QUOTE(ahutchi585 @ Apr 23 2008, 07:13 PM) [snapback]736102[/snapback]
This is my first post, but I laughed so hard reading some of your answers that I had to share my own story. As I never go to the bathroom alone, 2 year twin boys and almost 4 year old daughter, I was trying to hurry through the process before anyone noticed what I was doing...at just the right moment, Kylee says "Mommy, why did you just stick string cheese in your booty?" I just laughed hysterically and changed the subject! I think I would just go with it is something that Mommies use...end of story until your son is much older. Easier said than done as is much of life with kids!


:rotflmbo: