Parenting Preschoolers (3-5) Support Group
This community is focused on the joys, challenges and concerns faced by parents of preschoolers (3 to 5 year olds). The major areas of child development include: physical development, perception and sensory development, communication and language development, cognitive development, emotional development and social development. Join to share your stories and get advice.
Hi all,
I've got a situation at home, it seems, and I would really appreciate some advice and a point of view. So here goes...
My 5yo daughter is pretty precocious, and she knows how babies are made, she knows about the egg, and the sperm, and that they have to meet to make a baby. She even knows how the sperm gets to the egg - she asked, so I told her the basic biology of what goes where. I was OK with that, (though a bit uncomfortable), as I firmly believe that facts of life should never be a mystery. So far, so good.
But the other day, she asked how did Mom and Dad, specifically, made her, specifically. I'm assuming she wants me to confirm what she knows, the anatomical exercise of how I got the sperm from my husband, but I feel this is going a bit to far.
I am a big believer in taking biology at face value, and teaching about the world and life exactly as it is, and not leaving mysteries to ponder. But talking about specifics - personal ones? I've heard of kids being scarred by the realization that their parents have sex. She knows we've done it, (and she knows we have to do it to make her a brother or a sister), she figured that much out on her own. But talking about specifics of how SHE was made? Am I freaking out too much? Should I just be consistent and continue answering questions honestly?
I do believe that there are some lines that shouldn't be crossed, like talking about the specifics of our sex lives to my child, but am I right there, and what do I invoke now? I can't say it's a secret, cause it's not, and I can't lie, cause there is really no good reason for it. Can I explain that I don't want to talk about it? How do I justify that? I don't mean that she might get upset, but how do I justify suddenly not talking about something that's natural and not any different from what she knows anyway, and not contradict myself? I don't want to send the message that this is a topic that is free to discuss, but am I being too uptight? Actually, I know there are people who discuss their sex lives with their kids, but that's when the kids are 30, right?
I used distraction when she asked last time, but I know it's coming up again... Any suggestions? Opinions? Previous experiences?
Help!
I've got a situation at home, it seems, and I would really appreciate some advice and a point of view. So here goes...
My 5yo daughter is pretty precocious, and she knows how babies are made, she knows about the egg, and the sperm, and that they have to meet to make a baby. She even knows how the sperm gets to the egg - she asked, so I told her the basic biology of what goes where. I was OK with that, (though a bit uncomfortable), as I firmly believe that facts of life should never be a mystery. So far, so good.
But the other day, she asked how did Mom and Dad, specifically, made her, specifically. I'm assuming she wants me to confirm what she knows, the anatomical exercise of how I got the sperm from my husband, but I feel this is going a bit to far.
I am a big believer in taking biology at face value, and teaching about the world and life exactly as it is, and not leaving mysteries to ponder. But talking about specifics - personal ones? I've heard of kids being scarred by the realization that their parents have sex. She knows we've done it, (and she knows we have to do it to make her a brother or a sister), she figured that much out on her own. But talking about specifics of how SHE was made? Am I freaking out too much? Should I just be consistent and continue answering questions honestly?
I do believe that there are some lines that shouldn't be crossed, like talking about the specifics of our sex lives to my child, but am I right there, and what do I invoke now? I can't say it's a secret, cause it's not, and I can't lie, cause there is really no good reason for it. Can I explain that I don't want to talk about it? How do I justify that? I don't mean that she might get upset, but how do I justify suddenly not talking about something that's natural and not any different from what she knows anyway, and not contradict myself? I don't want to send the message that this is a topic that is free to discuss, but am I being too uptight? Actually, I know there are people who discuss their sex lives with their kids, but that's when the kids are 30, right?
I used distraction when she asked last time, but I know it's coming up again... Any suggestions? Opinions? Previous experiences?
Help!
My parents gave me a book called "where did I come from". It was specific and showed anatomical detail in cartoon form. It did not show pictures of the body parts fitting together but explained in words HOW they fit together. I don't think it messed me up too bad.....
I must have been at least six though.
Gosh.
I expect I'll be facing this same question soon.