Well I was 16 in 1993 and did both. I only knew of a few girls at that age who did NOT use tampons.

Yes to both.

By "G-Strings", I'm assuming you mean thong type panties, right? They are great because they don't show tacky pantie lines.

I'm not sure why tampons wouldn't be considered "normal". There is no way either of my daughters would wear a pad. They started using tampons just a few months after they got their first periods.

If that's what the girl is comfortable with (tampons), then that's what they should be allowed to use. My mom was old fashioned with me, too. I used pads until I was a senior in high school, but once I started using tampons, I couldn't believe I waited that long. It's each girls choice. I suggested it to my daughter when we realized that we would be going on vacation while on her period. She wasn't comfortable with the idea yet, so she doesn't use them yet. It's totally up to them.

That’s around the age I remember starting the tampon thing… but I was afraid of them! (it took a pretty humiliating experience at cheer camp that summer to get the ball rolling… ick, hated the teen years!) There were girls in my class who started using them at 13 or 14… but I went to a pretty “progressive” school you might say… kids “matured” pretty fast, even way back then!

I saw some poor unfortunate gal get made fun of mercilessly for 'panty lines'....switched asap. The low rider cotton ones (not the string kind) are very comfy. Just watch out....you can get a cold rear end in winter LOL!

Yes...it's normal...I don't have a 16 year old daughter..but there is a 14 year age difference between my younger sister and I..and I've seen her go through this. I would have worn g-strings had they been invented when I was 16..but instead I was blessed with fruit-of-the-loom grannie panties... and well tampons is just better than pads.. when my mother was younger she had to wear a belt with a pad attached...consider it a new invention.

My oldest daughter was kind of afraid to use them at first. She had a bad experience trying to get one out...we've all been there. But now that she is comfortable using them, she never wears pads.

My younger daughter wore pads for the first couple of months then switched to tampons.

I had a hysterectomy several years ago, so I don't have to worry about that kind of stuff anymore. But I hated even having to wear a pad for those few weeks after childbirth. Give me a tampon any day!

I teach/coach high school girls and yes, both are the norm. It now seems to be "gross" if a girl is caught wearing a pad. I would just watch her pants/shirts to make sure her thong isn't sticking out the back...I HATE seeing girls with that as it is very attention-seeking behavior!

Yes, both DD16 & SD15 use tampons. Only my DD wears the g-strings. SD is not allowed to wear those (because BM & Dad won't buy her any).

Yes... I agree with the panty lines.. esp. at age 16. And yes to the tampons. Esp. For older girls at age 16 - usually you learn to use them when you start your period and want to go swimming.

Grossest feminine hygiene story of the day ladies…
(I’m being 100% honest about this one too!!!)

When I was a senior, I was in swimming class (using tampons by then) and we were all just putzing around in the pool (HATED getting my hair wet back then… 7inch high bangs were in fashion and required half a can of Aqua-Net and a ten minute blow drying session to achieve) when this nasty pad came floating to the surface of the pool… we all screamed and jumped out running for the showers! No one ever copped to it but I bet it ended that particular girl’s fear of the dangling string… Ewwwwwwww!

My dd is 12 and wears a pad-she wants to wear a tampon, but cant quite figure it out yet and sorry but I am not brave enough to try to help with that other than to give her books and assorted tips. She has also asked for a gstring-she doesnt usually have pantyline issues, but when she wears white shorts or pants she has problems as it is remarkably hard to find plain white panties (or at least ones that a 12 year old would approve of). I have not yet allowed her the gstring. I do wear g's some of the time depending on what I am wearing.

When I was 16 I did both as well. My stepmom didnt approve of thong underwear but those are what I liked. Its really important to let your child/stepchild be who they are. Some restrictions are DEFINATELY necessary but underwear choice is a little obnoxious, you don't choose her bra for her why should you have a said in her underwear?

When I was 16 I did both as well. My stepmom didnt approve of thong underwear but those are what I liked. Its really important to let your child/stepchild be who they are. Some restrictions are DEFINATELY necessary but underwear choice is a little obnoxious, you don't choose her bra for her why should you have a said in her underwear?

Tampons and G-strings are normal. As far as her way of disposing of them, most tampons don't get flushed down the toilet - they stop up the sewage system because they expand. It sounds like she might have it backwards with the disposal issue? :? I would have a little chat with her about what appropriate disposal would be -- i.e. wrap a used tampon in toilet paper until it it is not soaking through (gross I know); and reusing the wrapper for the insertion tube.

Most girls get periods - there's no need to advertise it.

As for the g-strings, it's personal preference. I agree that there is definitely a sexual connotation built in with them but if she feels better about herself wearing them, why not?

Some people are a little more discreet about these choices. I wouldn't worry to much about them though.

Tampons I started using almost immediately. G-strings not so much but I thought they were uncomfortable. 2 funny stories regarding both though..

My sister was about 15 and just got like 6 new thongs, dad found them in the dryer, they were brand new. He cut all of them with scissors and left them for her to find in the dryer.. She was sooo mad.

When the same sister decided to start using tampons they were up in michigan at my g-parents lake house. It was my 2 sisters and dad, I was home working. Well she figured out how to put the tampon in but tried to take it out to soon. I guess the 2 girls were in the bathroom trying to figure this out and the one with it in calls me crying (mind you at work) about how its stuck. I'm trting to help her and I hear our father in the background yelling if they doont get it out I'm coming in and taking it out. I'm dying now lmao.. I ask to speak to dad I'm like 17 at the time. Dad stop yelling, the more you yell the harder its gonna be to come out, cuz your making her nervous and she's tightening her muscles, just leave her alone.. He's like they've been in there forever freaking out.. I'm told him have her go swimming and it'll come out a lot easier. Omg it was soo funny, for me.. Haha

Dad also thought it was funny to by personel hygene products with us, he loved to yell down the ailse and embarress us.. I guess it was his own ppayback for being bratty teens

He is he raised 3 girls as a single parent. When my SD started going thru puberty I called him and said ooMG dad, I am soooo sorry.. All the hell we put him thru. And he laughed and said I knew you would apppreciate it some day. Now I laugh because my baby sister has a 16month old girl, and lil sis was the worst out of all of us.. So in a way payback will be funny.