Getting advice from your dad about anything related to puberty is awkward at best. It is usually a special blend of good intentions and spectacularly wrong information, bless their hearts. Their knowledge base often seems to be cobbled together from a half-remembered health class and pure, unadulterated panic.
Usually, these well-meaning blunders are harmless and just become funny family stories. But the advice isn’t always just a little off; sometimes it’s so wildly incorrect it defies all logic. One dad’s “helpful” suggestion for his daughter was a truly absorbent-ly bad idea instead.
More info: Reddit
Even a hero-dad’s well-meaning advice about puberty can sometimes be spectacularly, hilariously wrong
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
After a teen got her period on vacation, her dad valiantly bailed on their waterpark plans for go-karting instead
Image credits: Aiman Hussein / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
But he quickly backtracked and came up with the solution that she should just use a “paper towel” to go swimming with the family
Image credits: jet-po / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When she called the idea “stupid,” he shouted, slammed the door, and left her alone all day
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In a heartwarming twist, the dad sent a perfect, heartfelt apology after educating himself on this delicate subject
A 15-year-old girl’s vacation plans were ambushed by the arrival of her period, making the planned water park trip a no-go. Her dad, her main support system, was initially a hero. He not only understood but even suggested a cool alternative: ditching the water park and taking her go-karting instead, a perfect dad-daughter bonding moment.
But the heroics were short-lived. A few hours later, influenced by his girlfriend and the younger sister, he bailed on the go-karting plan. He then offered a piece of menstrual advice so spectacularly bad it belongs in a museum of terrible ideas: his “female friends” just use “paper towels” to go swimming, and she could too if she wasn’t “choosing not to.”
Understandably, the teen called this “stupid idea” what it was: stupid. Her dad did not take this critique of his questionable medical advice well. He responded by shouting, slamming the door in her face, and then giving her the silent treatment. She was left stranded in the caravan for the rest of the day, her vacation effectively ruined over a piece of truly absorbent-ly bad advice.
But in a heartwarming twist, the dad actually listened and learned. The next day, he sent a heartfelt apology text, admitting he’d “taken some advice” from someone who actually knows things. He confessed he felt terrible for not understanding and promised to come up with a real plan to help her, a rare and beautiful moment of a dad admitting he was wrong and actively trying to do better.
Image credits: atlascompany / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The dad’s now-infamous “paper towel” suggestion isn’t just a little off; it’s a complete anatomical and functional impossibility. As made clear by experts at Tampax, it’s perfectly safe to swim on your period, but only with internal protection like a tampon or menstrual cup.
Pads, and by extension, paper towels, are designed to absorb liquid, meaning they would instantly become saturated with pool water, rendering them useless and likely leading to a deeply humiliating situation for his daughter.
The initial conflict highlights a common but critical challenge: how dads can and should talk about periods. Experts at Nua emphasize that a dad’s role is to be a supportive, reassuring presence—not to offer unqualified medical advice. The goal is to make his daughter feel comfortable and understood and by dismissing her reality he missed the mark.
His immediate, angry reaction further damaged that trust. Dr. Asma J. Chattha stresses the importance of dads creating a safe space and being open to learning, not shutting down. By getting defensive, shouting, and slamming the door, he turned a moment where she needed support into a moment where she was punished for his own ignorance.
However, the father’s update is a perfect example of how to correct a parenting mistake. According to advice from Calm.com, a sincere apology involves taking responsibility, expressing remorse, and showing you’ve learned from the experience. The dad’s text hits every single one of these points and is a faultless example of how to mend a relationship after a major screw-up.
This is a safe space to trauma dump, so tell us all your most cringe-worthy or frustrating puberty parenting mishaps!
The internet applauded the dad’s apology, calling it a masterclass in how to admit you’re wrong
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