Do you ever remember the women in your family talking in code? If not, then it must have been something that the ladies only did in my family. I can remember as a child the adult women discussing something of an adult nature. Should you invade that privacy they would say, "little pitchers have big ears." That was the code word for kids to get the heck out of the room.
Once or more I walked in and heard my mom and aunt talking adult using the code word, The Change. If I lingered too long in the room and of course, little pitchers have big ears. In my childhood, I had no idea what it meant when the women were discussing these code words about the change and often whispered words to each other. The women of my mothers' generation were a confusing bunch of ladies.
I don't think my mom ever gave me the talk. She says she did but if the conversation I remember was the talk she is referring to then she was confused. It was in the 1970s. My mom was born in the 1940s and grew up in a different generation than that of the '60s and '70s. Her talk proved that there was a huge generation gap. If every teen girl in my generation got that same talk it is no wonder we got confused along the way.
Now that I am older I understand when adults are talking about something of an adult nature that shouldn't be discussed in front of children, but what about when those children grow up?
Here I am all of these years later, menopausal and going through The Change that so many years ago was discussed in secrecy when I was the little pitcher with the big ears. What in the heck was so bad that it was whispered about?
My mom was in her 70's when I needed some history about the women in her family for the doctor. One of the questions asked at what age did the women in my family experienced menopause?
I ask her, I get a look like someone just farted, and then she slaps my arm!
What? No talk? No whispers about The Change?
Nope, just a slap, and she said, "we didn't talk about stuff like that."
Hmmm... really because I remember it way different!
I have a daughter and should she ask me I would be honest and open with her. She knows that I am going through menopause because I couldn't hide any of this, especially the mood swings!
© 2014 Gossip_GrL
Wow, my mom and my sister talked about everything. We felt real comfortable asking my Mom. In fact, our dad, the only male in the house, would get embarrassed because we would talk about "girl" stuff right at the dinner table. Finally, as we got older, we had to put the brakes on some topics in front of dad.
ReplyDeleteI have some real good memories of my mom (who passed in 2008) and my little sister, laughing and talking about sex and stuff. I don't have a daughter - I do have a adult step daughter and I don't keep things like that with her. I can tell though, she doesn't have that freedom with her own mom as she does with me.
I have always been open and honest with my daughter. The ladies of the older generation like my mom were not so open. You are lucky your mom was comfortable talking to you on the subject of sex. I just think back in the day parents really didn't know what to tell their kids.
DeleteAnd I gotta know: did the pitcher with big ears ever hear about this change ever having an end date, I ask as I'm writing through a hot flash...
ReplyDeleteI knew I would eventually start menopause. I always assumed it would happen much later in life not start in my early 40's. Oh girl I'm learning hot flashes and mood swings are mother natures best kept little secrets which is why I write about them- often!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHello there GG, hows you doing? I'm recently...pre...peri is that what they call it...menopausal, and had a very interesting talk with a new doctor about how these things happen, yes, she went back as far as being a teenager, and changing of the body...etc., which I knew about. I'm almost 50 and feel it's about bloody time lol. Anyway, I'll be keeping up with this blog, as I'm approaching sisterhood.
ReplyDelete