The Patriarch

By Anonymous - This FML is from back in 2015 but it's good stuff - United States - Mentor

Today, my daughter got her first period. Nobody was home but my husband. He didn't know what to do, except give her a sponge to put in her underwear. FML
I agree, your life sucks 41 542
You deserved it 4 350
When Christmas Ends Badly…
Rather than debating politics with Uncle Roger for the umpteenth time, share the best Christmas FMLs to finally have a good family meal! More…
Previous FML Next FML

Top comments

silverstream20 20

To be fair, that is not entirely wrong, considering a tampon works like a sponge anyway. I say A for effort.

760 12
fwongraven 10

Nice parenting... you'd think he would have done a quick Google at some point before she hit puberty.

471 25

Comments

rachilio 26

This is why we need proper sex education. FYourdaughtersL

75 7
exuberant_orange 17

I think more like F your daughter's life. Dads and periods are a traumatic mix.

70 4
gracehi 31

How is a married grown man with children so clueless about what to do for a period that he doesn't even know to go to the pharmacy to buy some pads?

98 4
therealjc_fml 14

Being a father of a teenage girl, spending a half hour of your life to understand the female cycle and when/what/why it happens should be part of being a parent. When it happened with mine I called my sister and a quick Google hit for reassurance. That's basically uninterested laziness on his part.

86 4
KhaleesiDannie 26

You're a good dad I'm glad your daughter had someone to help her and make out a little less awkward and scary

26 2
BrotherPhil 35

I'd call that uninterested laziness on both parents' parts. This was something that they should have discussed. He should have known where OP keeps her pads/ tampons, or phoned to ask where they are. 10 is a maybe a little early to have specifically discussed periods with dd, but all our kids know that women have them and that they are part of how a woman's body works.

13 1
KhaleesiDannie 26

Crazy you think he'd have a general idea just from living with you OP my husband has had to buy pads and tampons before but I'm sorry that happened to your daughter that had to be kinda weird and uncomfortable for her...

30 2
swanheart 35

I think we need some more info - how old is your daughter? Unless she's unusually young to be starting her period, then she should have been told what to do in this situation either in school or by yourself as her mum. I appreciate it's not a comfortable talk to have but it's better to have it sooner rather than after the event. My mum gave me my 'talk' as soon as I started puberty so that I didn't get scared when I started to bleed. And so that I knew what to do in case it happened in school. Also I hope it was at least a clean sponge...

33 1
KhaleesiDannie 26

She could be I started on my 9th birthday...at the party....Scared the crap outta me

16 1
swanheart 35

Yeah I can imagine that being terrifying for a 9 year old! I got the 'talk' at 9 but didn't start till 12 and it was still pretty scary then!

13 1
KhaleesiDannie 26

Bodies are weird haha

7 3
gallifreyanqueen 10

My first one wasn't bad I started the weekend of my 12th birthday no pain but I was going to girl guide camp lol. my embarrassing story was two years later. I wasn't regular then and it caught me by surprise in school in white pants... we didn't have a school nurse but our librarian kept such supply in her office. A week later my friend got hers the first time at school and wanted me to go ask the librarian because she was too embarrassed.

6 1
Florentina 17

How could you marry someone with such a limited knowledge of something so basic? Not that I'm blaming you here; your husband's sex ed class clearly failed him. F your daughter's life for sure

20 9
skyeyez9 24

Her husband's school may have had a very good sex ed class.....but he just didnt pay attention. Can't blame the school. Plus his parents should have explained to him the basics about males and females when he was young.

12 2
cookiethumper 23

Doesn't school educate girls on periods? And shouldn't your husband realise what you do when you get your period haha

5 14
skyeyez9 24

When my coworker's daughter had her first period, (he is a widow raising two girls alone), he went to walgreens and asked an employee where the "period starter packs were."

54 0
your_ma 27

? your coworker. That's so sweet bless him

9 1
JayVicious 20

Ha that'd probably be a best seller. Especially if it came with chocolate,ice cream, and midol.

31 0
msmedieval 11

Bless his heart! At least he tried.

6 0