Is it even called the birds and bees talk anymore or are we all more PC now, is it called sex ed or something? I can’t keep up so for now I will simply refer to it as ‘the talk’ ok?!
When we had the boys this was never something that even entered my head to consider as I always presumed it would happen at some point, we would have to sit them down and tell them all about how their bodies work, what to expect and when to expect it blah blah. The funny thing is though I can never recall ever having a conversation with any of them detailing what happens yet they seem to know more than I do thanks to the school playground and sex ed lessons (I got shown a drawing of a man and woman with ‘public’ hair, told it was gross and not to mention it again – SOOooo embarrassing apparently)
With the girls I feel I have been a little more open with them, maybe because they are a pair of inquisitive little minx and tend to ask masses of questions when I am in the bath, going to the loo etc…the boys tended to leave me along at those times, the girls not so much!
I have responded in what I presume to be a fairly grown up way to the girls questions (then spent time in the bedroom with hubby giggling and cringing like kids ourselves – yes I do still wonder how I got to this point in my life when 5 mins ago I was making up roller skate dances and worrying if I had dressed my baby doll in weather suitable attire!
The other day however I was listening to the girls playing with Cry Baby and Evie told Amelia how she was born! I loved that she told her she grew in my tummy and was there because mummy and daddy loved each other so much.
She grew and grew.
“Until mummy was so big…
…that she farted and shot you out so hard you hit the wall and bounced into her arms!”
WTF?!
That could explain why we had six children if it was that easy!
I wish someone had told me this is what happened as I’m sure I was in very painful labour and pushed her out of my…..
Yes, well anyway, it was definitely more painful than passing wind!
Well, this got me thinking, have some of my blogger friends approached this subject with their little ones and were there any eventful tales to tell?!
Kate from Counting To Ten: We have a book I bought for my 4 year old when I was pregnant. It glosses over how the sperm get to the egg though.
We talked about where the baby would come out and the next day when we went to nursery my eldest tried to pull my skirt up to show the nursery staff where the baby would come out!
Lyndsay-Rose from My Family Of Roses: I haven’t told my daughter anything, but their’s a baby in my tummy.
I asked her earlier this week. Do you know how the baby got in my tummy? She said “daddy got a parcel in the post with a tablet and you ate it so now there is a baby in your tummy”. Imagination gone wild here! She’s never seen me take a tablet or any medication bar my inhalers. She’s 3 years old.
Jo from Pickle and Poppet: My little boy asked as there were some new babies and so I told him. He’s 3. We spoke about how some babies come out of vaginas and others are delivered out of the tummy by a very special doctor who makes a special cut. He has told people how babies are born and I’m fine with that.
Nikki from Yorkshire Wonders: My nine year old boy asked me a few months ago. I was caught on the hop really but told him everything he asked. I wasn’t really ready but have always thought I would tell him when he asked so that he knew he could ask me things and I wouldn’t lie or fob him off. I want him to always be able to come to me with questions. He was horrified and fascinated in equal measure!
Kate from Modern Mum: My twin boys have been taught about it at school this year (year 5, 10 years old) it was the right age for them. I’ve filled in any gaps. We are a very open family and it has led to me needing to brief my 8 and 6 year old too….they got the tamer version!
Sarah from Mummy Cat Notes: My son, who is 7 asked my husband shortly before I had my third, I was stuck in hospital and he asked my husband what was going on and where babies came from – simple short answer was given and he, bless his heart said to my husband ‘that must really hurt!!’ In regards to birth.
Vikki from Mummy Times Two: As a same sex family it hasn’t come up with our kids but everyone else seems to think it’s their business to know.
When the kids ask I’ll tell them. Luckily ours doesn’t involve sex.
Have you had ‘the talk’ with your children yet or do you have a funny tale to share?
XOXO
Debbie
I think it is so important to just be honest and tell them the truth opposed (obviously appropriate to age). Children aren’t daft and it seems silly to try and create a story for my children when it’s a perfectly natural process.
I love this! When my son found out exactly what sex was, his reaacion was
‘No wonder people say ‘wow you have 6 kids ‘ because they know you have had sex 6 times….disgusting!’
Oh lord I’d never even thought about this, god help me when I have to have the talk, might leave it for daddy…