Think of us as adolescent boys...

Here's a way that men might possibly be able to think about (peri)menopausal women in a way that makes sense to them:

Think of us as 16-year-old boys.

Remember those days, when your body was doing things you didn't fully understand, and that you certainly weren't able to control?

Remember those days, when your nether regions were hyper-active, and your moods were all over the place, and all you wanted to do, was rumble... break things, speed through town in your dad's sedan, defy authority figures (and everybody else, for that matter)...?

Remember those days, when you were starting to sprout hair in unexpected areas, your voice was changing, your hormones were raging, and you didn't know whether you were coming or going?

If so, you know what it's like for a lot of women who are going through menopause. We're essentially going through the same thing -- which can be frightening for the men around us, I know.

But if the men of the world who deal regularly with (peri)menopausal women can think of us in the same way they think of 16-year-old boys, maybe they can find it in their hearts to feel some sort of compassion for us in our situation.

After all, they've been there, too.