Menstruating or Period It’s All The Same

Menstruating Ugh!  When I was growing up and coming of age the dreaded experience of one day out of the blue bleeding from my private area was so scary. So scary that it gave me stomach pains just thinking about it. This was not something that I wished to discuss out loud and my Mother always conveyed that this conversation should be held in private.

While out on a Saturday shopping date with my granddaughter, she decided that it was time to be inquisitive about different subjects that related to the human body of both genders. All I could say in my head was lucky me. Somehow these darn kids feel more comfortable discussing these issues with me rather than their parents. I went through the same thing with my grandson several years back and I truly wished he would have gone to his grandpa but for some reason I was the lucky one at that time as well!

Anywho, the conversation started out with the old questions of how her grandfather and I met. Now this was no surprise for some reason she likes to hear this story over and over every chance she gets. She makes it a habit to get my version and also my husbands on a regular. I told the story the same way as the time before but, this time she came with some additives to this regular questions. Well now that the door had been opened to private conversations I had a few questions of my own for the little lady!

Menstruating Vs Period Which Term Do You Prefer?

I wanted to know how educated she was on the subject of Menstruating. First off when I said menstruating she just laughed and laughed. I took a few moments to see if I could come to some conclusion as to what was so funny about the word menstruating or ministration. Since nothing came to mind for me I ask what was so funny? She replied “what the heck is that, what are you talking about, what in the world does that mean…it sounds crazy! I went on to explain what I was speaking of and all of a sudden she shouted out “Oh your talking about my PERIOD! To my dismay teens today refer to menstruating as period, it’s not as if we never used this word but we defiantly only used that word in the company of girls and in private. She went on to explain that everyone refers to it as period and not only in private, she wonder what was wrong with me “it’s a natural thing of life” she stated.

This really peeked my interest I wondered if phrases like “Aunt Flow Is In Town This Week” still existed. If the word menstruating was funny, I kind of already knew when I quoted the Aunt Flo phrase she would almost roll out the car door with laughter and she did!  As we continued with the conversation…. I got an education on that Saturday, to say the least.

Get A Menstruation App!

No longer a need to count the days and mark on a calendar there’s an app for that! Go to Google Play and search there are quite a few, type in  whatever term you like, you’ll find the app that’s right for you!  I also learned no one starts with pads and graduates up to tampons anymore, they jump right on into the pool of tampon use. And if all of this was not a surprise they have Period Panties that allow you to go tampon free with security from your heaviest to lightest days! Go ahead Google it!!

We’ve come a long way baby I guess the stigmatization may be taking a turn I’m almost convinced that our attitude toward women’s reproductive systems are no longer looked upon as gross in our country as for other country’s I believe the stigma is still present and misunderstood.

Hey take a moment and share your thoughts, I’m all eyes and ears!