Thursday, April 3, 2008

Maturation Memories

For my health education class, my assignment was to reflect on my experience with maturation classes in elementary school.  Here's what I remember.

Maturation brings a smile to my face.  That probably sounds really weird, but my memories from elementary school maturation lessons are vivid, clear, and humorous.  Although, my school district did not call the meetings "maturation," they were called "changing videos."

In fourth and sixth grade, the boys and girls watched separate changing videos.  The one I viewed in sixth grade was/is a classic!  Wow!  This video starts off with a girl, Amanda, talking to her high school sister about a birthday party that she really wants to be invited to.  But, Amanda is unsure of whether or not she will be invited to this popular party.  Anyway, Amanda and her two friends, Erica and Mary, decide to have a sleepover at Erica's house.  The girls set up a tent and sleep out in Erica's backyard.  Before the girls fall asleep, they make a pact that no one is to leave the tent during the night...no exceptions.  Well, during the night, Amanda really needs to go to the bathroom.  After several minutes of contemplating of whether or not to leave the tent, she decides it is worth breaking the promise.  As she is going to the bathroom, she realizes she has started her period.  Since it is in the middle of the night, Amanda cannot call her mom.  So, she asks Erica's mom for help (first awkward thing).  Erica's mom gets her a pad and briefly talks about how the period occurs.  It is now morning, and Erica and Mary discover that Amanda left the tent.  The two girls find Amanda in the kitchen with Erica's parents.  In some cheesy, random way, Erica's parents begin talking about the girl's body while making pancakes.  The father talks about different changes (second awkward thing), and the mother makes a visual aid of the uterus and fallopian tubes on the griddle using pancake batter (third awkward thing).  The three girls then really understand the menstrual cycle.  Amanda goes home that afternoon.  When she gets home, her older sister gives her an envelope.  Amanda rips it open and reads that she is invited to the cool birthday party.  The video then ends with Amanda's mom walking through the door and Amanda yelling, "Mom, I got it!"  The viewer is then left to wonder if she is talking about the party invitation or getting her period.

As you can tell, that video really made an impact on my life.  I really do not know why because it is the most retarded and awkward video I have ever watched.

3 comments:

MisterandMissesLem said...

hahahaha!! You forgot... her sister buys her a hat so that she can go "incognito" to buy her feminine supplies!

Miss C. said...

That is money! Did you really remember all their names? I hope so.
-Becca

Dan said...

I'll never look at pancakes the same way again.