Woman sparks heated debate on Mumsnet after asking if she should buy her young son condoms
The query prompted a fierce response from mothers, with some revealing they had provided contraception to their children from the age of 12
A WOMAN has sparked a heated debate on Mumsnet after asking if she should buy her 15-year-old son condoms.
The mum, known only by her username BertrandRussell, revealed that her youngster is off to a party with a group of older children and will likely be hanging around with girls.
The from mothers, with some revealing they had provided contraception to their children from the age of 12, while other said he was far too young.
Taking to the parenting forum, BertrandRussell wrote: “Teenagers and condoms...... Do you provide them? If so, how?
“Ds [dear son] is 15 and has a group of very lovely slightly older friends.
“He stopped going to parties a while ago as they started to involve drink because he doesn't drink and doesn't much like being around people that do.
“But he's decided to give it another try this weekend-he's nearly 16 now. They will be camping in a friend's garden.
“He doesn't have a girlfriend but is very popular with girls and has lots of friends who are girls.”
She concluded: “He needs to take condoms, doesn't he? Just in case? What do I say?”
One mum replied and said her girls were given condoms from the age of 12 and went on the contraceptive pill aged 14.
“I don't care how young it sounds I would rather they were protected just in case,” she said.
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“Plus it's not just the case of having sex, there is also rape and that is something very close to my heart. They have got their condoms mainly from nurses or ‘the C Card’. But I would have no problem buying them for them.”
A user called lalalalyra, who is mum to a 17-year-old son and 13-year-old girls, said she has a box in the bathroom cupboard for her kids to help themselves.
“I top them up every other month or so when I pass the gigantic bowl of free ones at the clinic. I've no idea how often my son uses them.
“We talk about it regularly. Daughters are 13 and they know they are there - although so far they've only dipped into it for water balloon making...
“I just think I'd rather my child had ready access to condoms than not.
“My sister-in-law made sure I had that access, but it didn't make me have sex any quicker, but it meant I had no issues when I did want to have sex.”
QuiltedAloeVera advised: “Buy him a box of them, leave them in his room, never mention it?
“Or say: ‘Here's some condoms, the expiry date is 2019, so no hurry’.”
However, not every Mumsnet user was so relaxed about the idea.
Aliveinwanderland said she didn't agree with encouraging sex outside a relationship.
“Because he doesn't have a girlfriend and is going to a party supplying condoms, I feel normalises having sex with someone you don't know well and aren't in a relationship with. It also gives the impression that girls at parties should be having sex,” she said.
“In a long term relationship I would recommend supplying them, or talking to him about how to get hold of some of he needs them. But I would make it very clear that you do not approve of one night stand sex at parties, especially at his age.
“For me it's a little like saying: ‘Don't do drugs, but if you do, then stick to ecstasy rather than heroin as it's safer’. No. ‘Dont do drugs’ is the message, and I feel ‘don't have sex’ should be the message here. I know others will disagree though.
“I think your son sounds like a lovely boy and should be encouraged to respect girls and women and not go to a party with a condom in his pocket which says sex is an option.”
Aliveinwanderland said she was concerned that “they are underage and drink is going to be involved”, while Blissfullyaware said if he has sex he will be “breaking the law”.
She commented: “It's illegal. And if he has sex with a 15-year-old girl he IS breaking the law.”
Pinkyredrose also admitted to feeling uncertain about the idea.
“You seem to be accepting the fact that your 15 year-old may lose his virginity having a one night stand in a tent.
“Would you be so accepting if he was a girl? Personally I think if he's old enough to have sex he's old enough to buy condoms.”
Meanwhile, another Mumsnet user sparked a heated debate after revealing she wanted to give her child the double-barrelled surname Georgeson-Johns.
The suggestion was shot down by fellow parents.