I cannot wait until the day when men everywhere realize that periods are just something that happens every month, and that there’s nothing gross or taboo about the process or the products required to manage it.

It might be a pipe dream, but one can hope.

OP married his wife and they and their four children – three boys and one girl – all began cohabitating. OP says he likes his stepdaughter and everyone seems to be getting along fine.

I have been living with my new wife and stepdaughter for about 6 months now. She’s 19, almost 20, and I have three sons aged 18, 16 and 15. She’s a really good kid and she’s a good influence on my sons, I really enjoy having her around.

My wife and her daughter moved into my house and sold theirs. My stepdaughters father isn’t present in her life, nor is my sons’ mother. All four children share a bathroom.

Then, one of his sons told him that they were uncomfortable having to see her used period products in the trash in their shared bathroom.

My sons have never lived for a long period of time with a woman, nor have any of them had long term girlfriends. They had short visitation periods when they were younger but never longer than an hour, so living with two women has been unusual for them.

My eldest son, 18, came to me last week and told me that his stepsister disposes of her used sanitary products in the trash can they share, but doesn’t use toilet roll or sandwich bags to disguise what they are, and it makes him uncomfortable which I think is reasonable.

My sons are teenage boys and don’t want to see their stepsisters period products on full display.

OP brought the topic up with his stepdaughter, who made some jokes about his sons’ bathroom habits and laughed off the discussion.

A few nights ago I went into the kitchen to grab a snack and she was there doing some work for university. My wife had mentioned that she knew she was on her period so I took it as an opportunity to have a word with her.

I told her my sons were uncomfortable and asked her if she’d mind putting her used products in diaper bags or flushing them down the toilet.

She laughed and told me it was rich coming from a man who “sheds like a gorilla” and has produced “three skid marking sons” which I thought was just an unnecessary attack.

I’ve been nothing but nice to the girl and it’s hardly a comparison. My sons shouldn’t be subjected to her unhygienic products if it makes them uncomfortable.

She went on to lecture me about how tampons can’t be flushed and that it’s bad for the environment if she uses diaper bags for every one which I think is just an excuse.

I called her a scruff and told her that this was my house and that what I say goes.

His wife did the same thing, and his stepdaughter continued to be dismissive as well.

I later asked my wife if she could have a word with her and she told me I was being ridiculous and that her daughter has had her period for ten years and knows what she’s doing.

When I told her it was making my sons uncomfortable she said my sons needed to get a grip and turned over and went to sleep.

This is a genuine issue to me and she didn’t care enough to have a discussion about it. I asked my stepdaughter again in the morning and she did the same as her mother, completely dismissed it.

He doesn’t understand why, as this is a serious issue to him and his boys.

Both of them have told me to stop being so silly but I don’t see how I’m being unreasonable when it makes my sons uncomfortable.

AITA?

OP wants Reddit to take his side, but will they?

The top comment says no, OP needs to teach his sons to be better humans.

This person agrees OP is being pretty ridiculous.

They think an education would benefit everyone.

Those boys are not prepared for the future.

Not a single person was on OP’s side.

This is a classic example of people needing to raise their boys different.

Just one, though.