Posted by: Sarah on: October 26, 2009
Even though I am always saying to talk to young kids openly and honestly about sex, when my own four year old boy asked me, “how do the babies get into the mommy’s tummy”, I thought “oh my gosh” in my head and felt the blood drain from my body. I then took a really deep breath and tried to look calm as I told him that when a man’s sperm and a woman’s egg come together they create a baby.
I told him that a man puts his penis into a woman’s vagina, and that it is in the uterus of the woman where the egg/sperm combo grows into a baby. He looked at me and said “OK” and went to play with toys. Later he asked some follow up questions that I answered just as honestly.
As scared as I was to give a 4 year old this information I realize that as he grows he will encounter things about sex and other topics that he does not understand. When he hears something he will compare it to what he already knows in his head. When it does not make sense with what he knows I hope that he will ask me.
I want him to remember that no subject is tabo for us and that I will always try to be honest. Kids know at a pretty early age when we are telling the truth. They learn early if we can handle the tough subjects or if we will change the subject to avoid them. They learn what we can handle and they protect us accordingly. Be brave and tell your kids the truth. The part they can handle will stick, and the rest will fall by the way side until they are ready.
Remember that you are amazing and worth loving no matter how freaked out you get at the thought of telling your little kids about how babies are formed!