This is too funny

My mother gave me a pamphlet from the chemist, it was about fruit flies, I was entirely mystified. I had no idea what a period was when mine started at school, a kind friend helped me.

Oldfrill my pamphlet was about rabbits…….

Thankfully I had friends at school who ‘educated’ me.

In the 1960s when I was working a lady there always got up earlier than her husband to put her make up on.

I am surprised by how many of those on this thread who were young in the 1950s/60s were so ignorant of basic sexual matters.

As I said up thread, In the late 1950s, and attending a Convent school. I and my friends all knew the facts of life. In fact there was one girl in our group, who was being brought up by her grandparents, who at 15/16 did not know the facts of life, so a group of us sat down with her and told her because we felt her ignorance could be exploited by men she came in contact with outside school. I suspect the decision was triggered by something she said that bothered us.

My mother's generation were ignorant. When her periods started she thought she was dying. Her mother, born 1877, quickly told her a scanty description but it left DM b1915 curious for more info.

As a result, she made sure my siblings and I had all the basic knowledge.

I'm sure children born in rural communities and with many siblings would not have been ignorant!

Although when I was young, there were stories of being found under a gooseberry bush and babies emerging from tummy buttons.
Perhaps the truth was just too scary!

This exact thread was on Nextdoor Platform 2 weeks ago- and I and many others had commented that this sounded like the 1860s.. ? Another spam post🥹

When I was little my Mum told me the district nurse aka “the green lady” came with the babies in her bag. Each time I saw the green lady walking along our street with her sturdy rectangular bag I thought there was a baby inside 😆

My Mum was one of 9 siblings who grew up in a remote 2 room thatched cottage in rural Ireland with no water or electricity. She said when the 5 girls and their mum had their period they used rag cloths for sanitary protection which then had to be hand washed for reuse. Of course, out of sight from the boys as they weren’t supposed to know about periods.

There were several loaves of bread baked over the open fire every day and the flour was bought in large cotton sacks. The empty sacks were made into vests for the girls and the worn out vests were then cut up and used as sanitary protection.

We did ‘fruit flies’ at school…..late 1950s

My mother told me about periods and how babies were born when I was about ten, but she didn’t tell me how the babies got there. She would have tried to answer any questions I had, but I wasn’t very interested. At school, top year juniors, there was a group of girls (it was a girls’ school) who all got together at break times and told each other everything they knew, giggling. I never joined in with that. I was too busy doing impromptu productions of Swan Lake with whoever I could talk into it.

The story in my family is that when I was born, my 2 ½ year old sister, although knowing I had been in mummy's tummy, told her little friend that the doctor had brought me in his bag!

I do remember some entirely bona fide advice for newly-married women in some magazine - probably in the 60s.

It included, ‘Line all your drawers with fresh paper every week.’ 😂

DM used rags too GNW . She was fond of telling us how lucky we were from STs, tampons, contraceptives and then onto disposable nappies, washing machines and fridges!

Grammaretto

The story in my family is that when I was born, my 2 ½ year old sister, although knowing I had been in mummy's tummy, told her little friend that the doctor had brought me in his bag!

A friend aged about 5 when her brother was born, when told about the new baby and how it was growing in mummy's tummy. Turned round looked at her mother and said 'Mummy has swallowed the baby'. Whether this was a statement or question is not clear.

If he feels that he needs to sleep immediately then so be it. In all things be led by your husband's wishes; do not pressure him in any way to stimulate intimacy. Should your husband suggest Congress then agree humbly all the while being mindful that a man's satisfaction is more important than a woman's. When he reaches his moment of fulfillment a small moan from yourself is encouraging to him and quite sufficient to indicate any enjoyment that you may have had. Should your husband suggest any of the more unusual practices be obedient and uncomplaining register any reluctance by remaining silent.

I think this sex education textbook for girls from the 1960s must have been written as charade. Mum told us about sex age appropriately - I was told younger than my sisters as mum was pregnant with our brother.

No obedience, no agreeing humbly, or any nonsense about his satisfaction being more important - perhaps this is just copy of 1860's text?

Norah I think someone up thread said this is a modern spoof that has been around for some time.

When I was small and asked my mum about babies, she told me they came out of our tummy buttons. I never thought to wonder about my brothers' tummy buttons.

It's so nice not having to beat about the bush these days. I was in a restaurant toilet with my 9-year-old DGD and she asked me what "hygiene products" were, as there was a sign up saying you shouldn't flush them down the loo. I felt quite at ease explaining it to her as I knew her mother would have told her about periods etc. I did report the conversation to my Dil afterwards and she smiled and nodded - of course it was OK.

Hellogirl1

I didn`t even find out how babies came out until I went into hospital in labour! I was calling out my husband`s name (they weren`t allowed in in those days) and the midwife said "He can`t do anything for you love, just keep pushing!"

My mother’s friend told me that when she was pregnant she asked her mother how the baby would get out, and was told ‘ the same way it got in’.

The Bodach’s mother told me sex was a ‘messy, overrated business’! She said she and her husband ( not the Bodach’s father) ‘ used to ‘ do it’ at New Year and on holiday, but not since his flat feet started bothering him!

My Catholic mother in law gave me a booklet about 18 months after I married her son .
I was pregnant at the time and she thought nothing of walking unannounced into the bedroom whilst we were staying with her .
She made various veiled comments .
The booklet was similar to the one mentioned in the OP's post with a section on not having relations when pregnant .
My father in law was an alcoholic and I wondered if all her rules and regulations put a real dampener on their relationship .
She talked non-stop actually through the night and was a dominant force in her house .
She went to mass every day, had tea and cake with friends afterwards .The house was very messy and she kept a poor table of often stale unappetising food .
I found her difficult and disapproving .

I have never been "obedient" or "humble" to any man and have yet to meet one who is worthy of such. MNy grandmother used to say I would have to "knit myself" one to find my match.

It has never occurred to me at any stage of my life that I should be in any way subservient to a man. Neither my mother nor any other family member ever suggested it.

My parents clearly had a marriage that ran on an equal basis. The cheque book to their joint bank account lived in my mother's handbag and I never saw either of my parents sit and relax if the other one was doing any kind of housework or gadening. they would both be doing something. and my father relied on my mother's judgement on all kinds of family issues.

I do not think it coincidental that I married a man with a working mother, where her profession made her the main family wage earner, while her DH's work was less consistent or certain.

‘Fruit flies’ ? - the mind boggles 😂

I had to Google fruit flies to see what they look like!

We learnt about rabbits at my school. We were given a lesson about periods the first time we had a biology lesson as new girls.

My mother told me all the facts of life, but her talks were rather dry and without emotion. I think I was about 10/11. She told me I mustn’t tell any of the girls at school as their parents may not like it.

My mum got a young, but much older than me (28 years old) family friend to talk to me. I might have been about 12.

I learned the 'fact of life' the traditional way, from someone in the playground at school. when I was about 8.