This thread is pretty upsetting. A lot of you guys are calling your parents, the people that gave you birth, stupid, morons, dumb, ECT. Way to show your respect.
ANYWAY, it's common for foreign parents to not understand American cultures. We grew up around this. It's so much different for them. In other cultures no one is allowed to see/touch your vagina, let alone put anything up there. It’s completely unheard of.
Many foreign parents go through a series of culture shock and there way of deal with it is by totally dismissing the ideal without the knowledge of what they are saying no to.
I suggest you sit your mom down and explain to her why you want to use a tampon. If you have no particular reason to then her answer would be understandable. There's nothing wrong with pads.
I've found that parents are so much easier to get along with if you're not constantly fighting every little thing they say. Just talk to them. They listen and they love you. They just want what's best for you.
Yes, this was well put. It's true too. Just explain to her why you want to use it or have to use it.