It is that time ... advice?

[jfletcher]

Yesterday my 9-year-old daughter was talking to me about animal breeding. She said she didn't understand how some dogs could have the same mother and different fathers and vice versa. (By the way, this conversation came while we were playing poker so it's especially appropriate for this board.)

"When they take two dogs to breed them, what do they do? How do they do that?"

I sort of dodged the question ("I don't know anything about dogs.") but I think the real question is coming soon, so we probably ought to just head it off with "the talk."

Any thoughts from you more experienced parents out there on the birds-and-bees talk?

[Bullajami]

Just be honest and matter-fo-fact. Stressing it shows. And don't react. When I gave Squee the news he had a horrified look on his face. Certain I had blown it, I started back-tracking and stammering. Then I found out there was a centipede on the wall behind me. He had barely heard a word I'd said.

[PigPen]

I don't have any kids but a friend of mine just had the talk with her 12 year old daughter. She had bought an audio CD set on issues that included sex, drugs, peer pressure, etc. - all stuff her daughter would be dealing with soon enough. She listened to them first and then they listened to them together on a weekend outing. They'd listen to a CD, then discuss and Q&A and take a break to play for awhile before listening to the next CD. I got the impression that covering more than one topic made it more comfortable for both and having the third party (CD) made it easier and covered other things she may not have thought of. I can ask her the name of the CDs if you're interested.

[darvon]

One day our Little niece Rita went up to her mother and asked, "Mom, where did I come from?" My sister in law stammered a bit, but finally got her composure. She thought it was time her daughter knew the facts of life. So, she told Little Rita how the expression of love resulted in the beginning of life, how life developed in the womb and finally how a child was born. As my sister in law gave the whole story, Rita's eyes got wider and wider. When She was finished, Little Rita said "Wow, that's really neat. That sure beats what Uncle Rusty told me. He said that he came from Pennsylvania."

[toom]

We have looked into it in preparation for the day, which hasn't come yet, although some little things have come up in conversation. The one thing that has become apparent from research is don't try to explain everything at once and consider it done. It's incremental.

I'm more worried about the Santa conversation which is coming soon.

[Bullajami]

Look forward to this scenario:

My son, Dawg is a sophomore, at 6'1" 215 pounds. His sister, Rip, is a freshman, and is a very pretty girl. Dawg relates that earlier in the week he was hanging out near his locker with some friends when his sister came to her nearby locker. Being brother and sister they did not acknowledge one another. Dawg, a baseball stud, had his bat on his shoulder. After Rip left the area one of Dawg's friends said "look at that butt!" To which another friend immediately responded, "look at that brother!"

[krazytxan]

Evidently my #4 son is comparing his "member" and it is BIG!!!

All parents of daughters...BEWARE