My wife wants to throw a period party for our daughter. I shut it down.

She says "it's for her own good," but the dad disagrees.

For any preteen, puberty comes with a long list of changes. Some are worth celebrating, while others are better kept private.

 

But one dad believes his wife took the celebration route a little too far.

Taking to Reddit, he asked for advice following his wife’s response to a major milestone in their daughter’s life.

His 12-year-old had just gotten 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, “ he explained.  

The wife couldn't wait to throw a period party. However, her daughter wasn't so keen. Image: iStock

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"She doesn't want a period party" 

After going through the instructions together, and sharing some ice cream, he reassured her. 

“Told her there was nothing to be embarrassed about and she could always come to me for anything,” he shared. 

When his wife came home, she was overjoyed by the news, crying that her “little girl is growing up.”

Then she made a suggestion their daughter wasn’t exactly thrilled about: a period party.

“She immediately closes off, says she doesn't want a period party and doesn't want anyone to know,” she said. 

“Wife tries to enlist my aid in changing her mind, but I tell her ‘she said she didn't want one, don't worry about it.’” 

But his wife didn’t take the hint.

Two days later, when he arrived home from errands, his daughter asked if she could do her homework in his office. He agreed, though found it odd. 

RELATED: 'My intense PMS means I may never have another baby'

“I don't expect you to understand, this is just for us women.

It didn’t take long to understand why. His wife had converted the living room.  

“My wife had not only decorated it like something which wouldn't have looked out of place on MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEEN, but there were several family friends, all women, and a few I recognised as neighborhood mothers,” he explained. 

He pulled his wife aside to ask what was going on.

She told him she was throwing their daughter a surprise party “for her own good,” insisting: “she didn't mean that. This is an important time for a girl, she needs to know not to be ashamed of her body.’” 

But the dad stood firm, reminding her: "she told you specifically she DIDN'T want one of these."

His wife dismissed his concerns, saying, “I don't expect you to understand, this is just for us women.” 

When she tried to push past him to get to their daughter, he physically blocked the doorway.

Still, she insisted: “We can't let her grow up with a negative attitude toward something so natural.”

Eventually, she returned to the living room and told the guests the “period party” was off, blaming it on her husband being “a jackass.”

“I lose it, follow her in, and let the women know, calmly but in no uncertain terms, that I appreciate what they wanted to do, but 12-year-old made it EXPLICITLY CLEAR that she DID NOT want this party and my wife is trying to pressure her into it,” he shared. 

He said several of the mums looked disapprovingly at his wife, who backpedaled, saying she didn’t think their daughter was being serious. 

RELATED: School camp is easier for boys – they don’t have to worry about periods 

"A nightmare"

In the Reddit comments, the mum’s decision to go ahead with the party, despite her daughter’s objections, was widely slammed.

“Puberty is an awkward, embarrassing time. Having your parents shine a spotlight on every confusing milestone would be a nightmare,” one commenter writes. 

A second pointed out: “I bet mum will have no clue why her daughter doesn’t confide in or trust her.” 

“My mother also ignored my wishes with things like this. We aren’t close.” a third revealed. 

The wife eventually apologised to her daughter, but according to the dad, remained upset with him.

“She claimed I undermined her authority as a parent… and made her look bad in front of the neighborhood mums,” he said. 

Originally published as My wife wants to throw a period party for our daughter. I shut it down.