Should Guys Need to Know About Periods?

Should Guys Need to Know About Periods?

There's so much useful information out there to educate girls about periods and to help the adults in their lives teach them what they should know. Girls can learn what to expect, what products to use when, what is typical and when to see a healthcare professional if something is wrong. But what about the guys? When and where do the guys learn about periods, their purpose and what females deal with monthly? Yes, it's crucial that girls have all the information they can get, but it's also important that adolescent guys understand what's going on also. My eldest daughter and her best friend used to walk to school with two of their male buddies. Sometimes talk would turn to things like periods. Most often, that happened when one of the girls was particularly crabby and the guys would ask if she was "on the rag" or if it was "that time of the month." (Because, you know, girls aren't crabby any other time! Ha!) What my daughter and her friend found was that nobody had ever really explained to these guys what periods were or why they happened. So the girls took it upon themselves to educate the guys. Not only about the mechanics and the biology behind periods, but how periods affect girls both mentally and physically. They explained how they often felt irritable or on the verge of tears. They tried to explain what it means to be bloated and what cramps feel like. They explained how long periods last and how unpredictable they can be. They told the guys how different periods can be from one to the next. They shared the fact that each girl's experience is different from the next and how every girl deals with theirs differently. They even explained how girls living within close proximity can have their periods sync up with one another. The guys listened. Asked questions. And learned. They wanted and needed this information. Better still, they are passing their knowledge on. Recently, one of them overhead a classmate saying, in a matter of fact way, that girls only get their periods on their birthdays. And because he knew the facts, he set that classmate straight. Take time to educate the men in your life about what you go through every month. Tell them about PMS moods, cramps, period cravings and even those pesky unexpected leaks. It may feel awkward, but it may also help them be more understanding when you need their help. What about you? Have you ever educated any of your male friends about periods? What happened?