[PiggiePaul]

Possibly a bit of a delicate question but one I want to ask.

I'm basically wanting to know if you think my views and feelings are way way out of date on this subject. Being (just) 46, I accept I was bought up in different times and may have different views, so I'd like to explain the following:

A lady friend of mine (she's 40) has 3 young kids.

Daughter 16
Son 13
Son 12

Thats the household, though of course, other kids come round, and sometimes stay overnight also.

Now, onto the subject I'm talking about:

Pantie Liners, Sanitery Towels.

Whilst, I fully accept these are totally normal and natural things for women in their day to day lives, I've always felt that they are (kinda) "Personal" items.

I guess, I'm saying that I've always expected these items are put in a drawer, or put in a cuboard (like I'm thinking you would do for other personal intimate items)

My friend (and her 16 year old daughter it seems) appear to feel it's fine for these personal items to just be out on display, opened packets etc etc in the bathroom, and even a pantie liner (jn a pretty colour plastic bag) in a bowl on the table downstairs next to the fruit bowl.

Now, I realise, we're in 2007 and eveything is acceptable these days.
So, am I wrong in feeling a bit uncomfortable about this?

Young boys in the bathroom (with their friends coming over to stay) with open packets of pantie liners belonging to mum or their older sister just sitting there open on the bathroom cabinet.

Perhaps I'm way out of date, but I just kinda feel these personal items would be better, just put away, to one side, and not just sitting there in full view.

Opinions?

[mcmama]

If this is all you have to worry about, i guess you are in pretty good shape!

It is no big deal, as far as I am concerned, and I am older than you.

[PiggiePaul]

Originally Posted by mcmama

If this is all you have to worry about, i guess you are in pretty good shape!

It is no big deal, as far as I am concerned, and I am older than you.

Thanks for the reply.
I fully accept there's nothing really wrong, it's just (I guess) what you are used to.
In my home (with parents) Womens personal items (if we want to call them that) were always put away, There were never ever any items such as this to be seen at home, and my Uncle who had his wife and 3 daughters (who I knew through their growing up years) Again, none of these items were ever to be seen in that household either.

It's just what I'm "NOT" used to seeing just lying around the house.

If I had any Personal items, creams, medical items etc etc, then I'd always feel they are the kinda thing that are not left just lying around the place.

Perhaps if it was just myself and my partner then I'd be more relaxed about it, but I suppose I feel a little more uncomfortable having such things just lying around the place, with young boys (some friends boys aged 7) around the house.

Guess I'm just old fashined that way, and wondering if anyone else feels the same.
I just regard "Personal" Items like this to be a little private.

[LazyBear]

I'm now a Grandmother
If my grand-daughter left feminine hygiene items laying around, I would give her a special decorative container to put them in and store them in the bathroom or her bedroom.
I don't think the girls today are as embarrassed about these products as we were at their age. For heavens sake people talk about WORSE things on Tv ~Manly Body Part Disfunction to name one.
At least the boys in some households will be more tolerant about seeing these products when they have to deal with them as husbands. Instead of running away in horror at the mere mention of such girly things. My boys still react that way in their mid 20's. It's so funny!!!!

[QueenAngie]

Welcome to the board!


It's a fact of life for teenaged girls and women to need these items.
Certainly, growing up life was much different....before hygiene products commercials. These are all clean, brand new products, unused in plastic packaging. Very hygienic.

Growing up for me, they were in the bathroom, in the cabinet. That's how life was.

********

Here is an alternative, but similar story.....

DS#2 was really into football when he was younger.
He thought his football gear should stay in the foyer on
one of my white chairs for all to view.....
and in the connecting diningroom, on the diningroom table,
he placed his protective cup in full view of the entire world.

On my diningroom table! What was he thinking? This item was not clean either. Ewuuuu! His Dad had a talk about this.

******

What if they were Q-tips? Would it bother you then?

We do not have these items on the diningroom table either,
but in the scene of life......it's a pretty minor detail.

[VinniesMommy]

I agree with you PiggiePaul... while it's not horrible, it's... well, weird. They are "personal" items that should be kept in a bathroom or bedroom, even if not kept in a drawer or cabinet, that's where you'd use them... NEXT TO THE FRUIT BOWL?? That's a little odd... Maybe I am just crazy about keeping things organized, and that is why I think it's weird. But seriously, lets say you might need one... you run to the bathroom and, oh shucks! I left my product by the fruit bowl!

QueenAngie - I think q-tips would bother me... not as much, but I would still think it's weird. I think it's just my craziness about organization though... it's just weird to see those things out of the normal place you'd think they'd belong.

[JeanLynn81]

But seriously, lets say you might need one... you run to the bathroom and, oh shucks! I left my product by the fruit bowl!

You are too funny!!!!

Ok I have to jump in now and say that I do agree with the op, and that those are things that should be kept hidden. Being raised my a single mother-I spent ALOT of time with my much beloved great-grandparents. So I guess I got a little bit of old-fashionedness in me as well. I would be so embarassed if one of the highly respected men in the family came over and saw my tampons laying around.

Now do I think its a big deal if other people do it? No. My best friend leaves hers out everywhere, and I don't care. Its her perogative. You just won't see them laying around here.

And as long as they aren't "used" I would not make an issue of it.

[wanttobemommy]

i too think they are personal but dont think they need to be hidden completely. I do not have a cupboard in my bathroom that I can store things in (dont know who designed this house) But I do keep them on the floor inbetween the toilet and the tub. They are not in full sight but I do not have them hidden behind everything. But at my moms house if you need some product you will have to dig behind the thousands of things of hairspray body spray toilet paper and god knows what else is in the cuboard to find them. My mom hides them well. I even thought we were out at one point because I couldnt find them. I would NEVER have them out where everyone and their neighbors could see it but it isnt anything to be ashamed of.

[jadis]

Mine are totally "on display" so to speak.....well, with the exception of the past 8.5 months, haha. When you shop at Costco it's hard to find places to hide a 120pk of overnight pads! And the storage in our bathroom is minute at best.

I also have no problem with a child asking what they are- they are going to find out soon enough. And chances are they would venture into the cupboard at some point (kids are curious) and find them anyway. I guess I just don't see the big deal- to me it's similar to keeping rolls of toilet paper out on display- while wiping yourself certainly is a private affair, it's no secret we all do it!

[kiwibird]

Though can appreciat we your point of view.

Cannot see the problem here place things in prospective, it is cotton material left in places that are for those who need them to stay clean and healthy,in that persons own home, not your home so not your concerns? why are you talking about it if it troubles you and you think it is anything wrong weith it, what about talking to the persons themselves? At lest that gcan give the person you are talking about , the right to be respected on the way they choose to bring up thier children, and what they have to help them keep hygenic at period times, and not just use toilet paper!


Periods are normal and very natural part of life, thus better to have the appropiate items and young adults to be taught what they are honestly unashamefully used for, than to be all embarrased about the facts of life? this can only create an awkardness for young people who are sometimes are already so imbarrased what things may or not be use for, that they will neever feel confident to talk to thier own parents in the first place.

It is up to the parents to set healthy honest facts of life disscussions, in a unashamed way. At least the first world countries have these items available , so cannot even afford to buy these often expensive items for they young adults, let alone the young adults buy them themsellfs.

So look at like this, what great parents they must be, as they are not ashamed of the facts of life, why should they be?

and yes I am no teenager... brought up with boys... therefore had to know what they where used for, and not for cleaning the dust of selfs. Can you imagen if they were ignorantly used for that http://forums.families.com/images/smilies/eek.gif

What about tissues left around th e place, one needs to blow theri nose? what if it were poisions, now that would be something that actually should be removed away for all concerned, specially if thier are toddlers around, Not all people have proper locked canets etc...
Tampon, liners.. so what . Heck some parents think it is more to worry about having vendor machines for condomes nowadayds availiable for any age kids to get a hold of...
The list goes on...

This is just nothinghttp://forums.families.com/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif