My boys have known about sex since they were 4 and 7. When I was pregnant with Thing 3, the topic of “how did that baby get in you?” came up quite a bit. So I gave them a simple, but honest answer. I used books and presented the material very matter of fact like. It was not a big deal.
We have continued to have conversations, usually when they bring it up. We have also scheduled some certain discussions as our oldest has started puberty. We wanted to make sure we didn’t miss anything. We want our boys to feel comfortable coming to us with any questions. We wanted them to learn about sex from us, not their friends.
So it always surprises me when I discover some of my friends haven’t talked to their kids about sex yet. Some friends with 5th grade girls who haven’t told them about periods yet. These moms are scared to talk to their kids about periods and sex.
Why are we so scared/ashamed of our bodies that we can’t even teach our kids the simple facts about them? Is it any wonder that so many women don’t want to learn about birth. It is as if that has extended from their childhood into their adulthood.
Teach your kids early about sex and then it won’t be a big deal! I suggest going to your local library or bookstore without your kids, reading through all the choices and choosing the ones that are right for your family and their age.
While you are at it, talk to your girls about birth. Don’t tell them it is scary/painful/horrible. Just tell them some simple facts and tell them it is wonderful/amazing/great. Even if your birth story wasn’t those things, hopefully you want something better for them!
It surprises me too when parents make up some elaborate answer about sex when really the truth makes more sense and can be presented in a non-scary way.
My poor husband was never told about certain things that happen to boys when they hit puberty and for years just lived in shame without knowing why his body was doing what it did. My sons will NOT have to deal with that.
My parents were always very open about sex. It was never a huge issue or an embarrassing subject. I thank them tremendously for that.
In our house we call body parts for what they are. Vagina, penis, breasts. No cutesy made up names. My niece and nephew are embarrassed when they hear the “real word” for it. How does that make sense?