Hi sisters,
At what age do you think it's appropriate to tell you children about the birds and the bees? A bit of background info: my son is a mature happy bright 6yo (almost 7yo) who is very curious about his body and how babies are made. I am about to have a baby and I think it has really sparked his interest. We have always had an open honest relationship and I feel very lucky he feels comfortable enough to ask me or his father anything without embarrassment and I'm hoping I can nurture this through to his adulthood. So recently comments from older kids at school about sperm, sex, vaginas etc made him ask how babies are made. As it put me in the spot and I didn't want to just brush it off I told him that: when a man and women love each other a man put his penis in the women's vagina and sperm comes out of the penis and finds the egg in the women and a baby grows. He wasn't embarrassed and was satisfied with this answer.
My question is: do you think this is too detailed in depth for a child this age? All the literature I can find on age appropriate sex ed says it's the right age but my husband thinks it was too much.
3 Replies
I think you handled it really well. And no, not too much info for his age at all.
It's also a good idea (if you haven't) to teach protective behaviours, who can touch/see his private parts and in what context. What to do if someone tries to touch his private parts. How old a 'man' and 'woman' have to be, because young children do roll play and pretend play daddies and mummies etc so it's important to be clear.
You'll find as he gets older then you need to add more info about puberty, erections, sexual harassment and the extremely important discussion of consent. It's not that anyone thinks our boys or girls will be inappropriate BUT it's such a complex topic that we can't afford to brush it off or assume our kids will automatically get it.
No not too detailed. I started talking to my daughter now 8 at around 6yrs i also was pregnant and she was curious i think honesty is the best policy try and stick to facts.
I'm going to go against the grain. I actually do think that's a little young and here's why... kid's talk. They aren't mature enough yet to fully understand what you're saying, despite your best intentions... and what you may find is they'll go around telling their friends about penises being inserted into vaginas - in a laughy, giggly way. And if those friend's haven't had the talk with parents yet (very likely at that age), this is going to be very confusing and may seem inappropriate. Or even worse - a chinese whispers happens where that info is passed around the class like a wild virus... There's a new trend to be extremely open all the time. But I think understanding their age, and what is 'age appropriate", not just for them, but also their peers is sometimes more wise. My kids definitely didn't know at that age. They knew a man and woman made a baby and that the woman had an egg, which grew into a baby (I was also pregnant when my daughter was six) and I just never let it get too detailed. You don't teach a 6 year old algebra - they're not going to use it. You don't teach a 6 year old how to write an essay comprising of 2000 words - they just aren't ready for that yet. You wouldn't let a 6 year old drink a glass of beer, because one day he may drink and you want him to be ready for it. So why do you feel they NEED to understand the ins and outs of the act of sex when they are so far off being ready, or even comprehending it? Not being mean. Just throwing another train of thought out there. :) My analogies are probably rubbish. :)