Sunday, May 27, 2007

Sex Ed



photo credit-Just Some Chick with a Camera

I knew that there would come a time that we would have to talk about the birds and the bees with the kids. Little did I know that questions would come so soon...

As you may recall, Sweet Pea has had a fascination with having a baby for over a year now. It's not quite an obsession, just something that never seems to be far from the surface.

Liz related this story to me the day it happened. A couple of weeks ago Liz was driving Sweet Pea home from pre-school. They were on the way to pick up Buddy Boy from his school. Sweet Pea, ever the little Miss Gabby, was going on about all the kids at school, the birthday party she was going to that weekend, and what she wanted for dinner.

All of a sudden she jumps right in with "When the man puts the seed in the woman, does it hurt?"

Liz reads a lot of science stuff with Buddy Boy. He knows a lot of facts about a lot of stuff. Sweet Pea usually acts as if she's not paying attention, but evidently when they were talking vaguely about sexual reproduction in some animal she was all ears.

When Liz related this to me, I was like "What? Well, what did you say?" I usually believe in not lying about such things, but 5 years old??? I was hoping she came up with some distraction or vague answer. Failing that, I must admit that I hoped she lied.

"I told her no, it didn't hurt".

"What?! Have you forgotten that we were raised Catholic? Are you totally unaware of the power of instilling guilt? You should have told her that there was nothing more painful in the whole universe (I was only half joking)! Then what did she say?"

"That she wanted a hot dog for dinner."

I am so not ready for any of this yet.

9 comments:

hollywoodjaded said...

LOL. Just remember kids (and grandkids for that matter) of physicians can be very clinical about this stuff.

Sharon McDaid said...

I've always answered the children's questions simply and honestly as they've come up. They get as much information as seems necessary at the time. They've taken every little snippet in their stride, easily moving on to other big questions like, 'what's for dinner?', whenever they've been told. It does make for some funny chats too, like one I had with Thomas a a few months ago.

It means (I hope) there won't be a big conversation about everything all at once, when they're deemed old enough!

Joeymom said...

ROTFL!!!! We just SCREAMED with laughter at this! You poor Dad!!!

Maddy said...

I'm with Sharon.
Cheers

Mom without a manual said...

Yikes! I agree...I'm not ready for any of that. But I think you guys handled it well.

Daisy said...

OMG, I am laughing out loud! I teach science and health, including sex ed, to 6th graders, but not to five year olds. Too funny! Enjoy your hot dogs for dinner...

mumkeepingsane said...

*fingers in ears*
La la la...I can't hear you!!!!

Kidding, kind of. Patrick has not been the least bit curious and I am relieved. I'm having a trial run with my NT 7 yr old so I'm hoping to be prepared when Patrick is finally able to understand and has questions to ask.

Daisy said...

My daughter (age 20, works in a garden center) suggested that Sweet Pea might become curious next time she's in a garden-type store and ask which kind of seeds make babies.
Remember the Girl Scout motto: Be prepared!

Anonymous said...

By the time we parents are ready to give the birds and the bees talk. Kids generally believe that we are in need of remedial lessons. Thank god my Cameron has 2 older sexually actice brothers to chat to and model on. Phewwww!