Is this very strange or am I paranoid?

[Pixie83]

My DS is 13 & well into pubery (voice has broken, everything sprouting, mood swings, etc).

I got up the other morning to find him already out of bed (he usually has to be prodded awake). Got downstairs and found him coming in from the garden through the patio doors - totally butt naked (with his hands over his wot-not). He jumped out of his skin when he saw me, and i was so shocked I freaked out at him completely, shouting my head off, demanding he explained what was going on.

He cried & cried, but no amount of threats or freaking out on my part would make him explain what he was doing out there in the nudd.

Just to explain further - our garden is completely enclosed with no side gate or anything - there are hedges all around so we are pretty much completely private apart from some distant windows.

This is driving me mad as I try to come up with a sane explanation - Im thinking maybe there is a paedo with a house overlooking our garden who has somehow 'groomed' my son to expose himself to him (I know this is very unlikely). Then I'm thinking maybe he stashes something dodgy in the garden somewhere (naughty mags, etc..) and I caught him hiding his stash? (Nothing to be found tho, and Ive searched extensively!). Or that despite always being completely normal and sane (apart from teen mood swings), he is secretly a flasher who wanted to get it out for the thrill of it? (I don't really believe this by the way).

DH was equally freaked out BTW, but is always calmer than me about things and went to great pains to talk to DS about how important it is to always tell us if anybody else is trying to get him to do anything dodgy, etc, and to try to get to the bottom of what he was doing - no luck for him either though.

When I have tried to talk to DS about it in a calmer way, he just got upset again and just seemed very embarrassed, and maybe a bit confused about why I was so freaked out, almost like he was trying to think of a reason to tell me when he didnt really have one.

Am I just paranoid and making a drama out of nothing?

[LadyBlaBlah]

He was probably sleep walking??

[AnyFucker]

I think you are over-reacting

I can't think of a sensible reason for him to do that either, but then I can't think of anything seriously dodgy in it either

Walking round nekkid can be nice

Maybe he just went for an early morning stroll, we have had some lovely dawns recently

I am serious, btw

Leave him be

[FallingWithStyle]

Why did you freak out so much? I think I would have been confused, shocked, amused...but genuinely dont understand your reaction.
I'm not picking, its just that I think your reaction now means your ds feels awful and cant/wont discuss it.

No idea what on earth he might have been doing though

[GypsyMoth]

rolling in the dew??

[seeker]

I don't understand why you were so freaked out - when you shouted at him what did you shout?

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

He woke early one morning and thought, "Hey, it'd be really fun to feel the air on my body, just like when I was a toddler..." so, with everyone asleep, that's what he did. No biggie. :)



(He probably had a wank too, but your garden sounds pretty private. )

[FallingWithStyle]

I think you should apologise to him.

[Pixie83]

Glad you're all thinking I over-reacted - would much rather hear I'm paranoid than that there's something worrying going on. Don't know why I freaked out so much really, and I know all my possible explanations sound mad. But he's gone so shy and private about his bits and pieces since they started sprouting, etc, so to think he'd have it all out there in the garden just seemed completely nuts. I am a totally paranoid mother anyway, and worry about everything...

[AnyFucker]

I do too, FWS

the poor kid

it's his body, he was doing no harm (that I can see anyway)

I would love to sit outside in the nudd on a summers morning

unfortunately I no longer possess the selfish impulsiveness of a teenager (more's the pity...)

[Pixie83]

PS - just read some more of your replies, when I shouted it was that there could be any old wierdo looking out of their bedroom window; that he needs to keep himself safe and protected and he's not doing that by streaking round the garden for all to see... blah, blah. Yes I know I sound like a nutter BTW.

And I have apologised, I felt awful for upsetting him so badly when he hadnt actually done anything 'wrong'. He said he understood why I freaked out and accepted my grovel (and a tub of his favourite Ben & Jerry's...).

[Suda]

Is there any chance he got desperately caught short and someone was in /he thought someone was in the bathroom ? or do you have more than one - have caught my DH watering our garden a couple of times when been out drinking and I've beat him to the bathroom.

[Lauriefairycake]

I think it's odd he didn't tell you (or his dad if he was having a wank)

I wouldn't want my kid wanking in the garden in case he was arrested for exposure.

[Flighttattendant]

Perhaps he was experimenting in some way...on his own, I mean.

Ds is already very secretive about this kind of thing at 7.

I would really not worry too much.

[BitOfFun]

He was probably just having a wazz, I agree,

[thisisyesterday]

it is very bizarre

dp's first response was having a wank. but he too is at a loss to explain why he was totally naked (you'd take something to cover up in case someone else came out)
and why it was in the garden

i did wonder if you checked OUTSIDE your boundary, in case he was throwing something out of the garden to get rid of it.
initial thought was stained sheet or something after a wet dream, but you'd have noticed that missing

[LadyBlaBlah]

DH used to sleep walk and had a similar situation

He jumped out of a bedroom window though so was slightly more bizarre. And yes he was naked too.

Are you sure he wasn't sleep walking?

[Pixie83]

I suppose he could have been (sleep walking)- it would explain why he seemed so confused. Don't think he's ever done it before though - and can you go and find keys to unlock doors and stuff when youre sleepwalking?

[thisisyesterday]

yeah you can

[LadyBlaBlah]

I have seen DH sleep walking and had a full conversation with him.

You can basically do everything when you are sleep walking. It is v. strange - they look totally awake

Because you said he was confused about it, it is the first thing that springs to mind

[Pixie83]

I've never seen him 'move around' in his sleep before but he used to talk rubbish in his sleep when he was younger. You could have ridiculous conversations about complete twash with him while he was sleeping that he'd not remember afterwards - so maybe he has a tendency to sleep walk too.

Thanks for all your replies btw, am bowled over by the big response on here (new to mumsnet today)

[Pixie83]

And PS you have all put my mind at rest - I will try not to be so paranoid...

[loopyloops]

My guess would be sleepwalking too.

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

Ah, DS1 talks in his sleep when stressed, and walks when very stressed - he was once staying over at a pal's house and slept-walked into the pal's parent's bedroom! The walking started in his early teens, so that might well fit. :)

[Stricnine]

I have sleepwalked all my life (and still do although not quite as frequently thank goodness)... confusion on 'waking up' or realising where you can be quite profound, especially if it's the first time he's done some thign this 'odd'..

FWIW, my DH is quite used to it now, but in the early days used to get quite concerned as I would hold conversations with him (and others).. and could get quite physical - lots of embarassing stories there!!)..

If your DS is at all stressed/worries about anything it can make it worse, so I would tend to opt for the sensible, relaxed approach and handle with care if you meet him again!