After my daughter grilled me at bath time for several days with specific anatomical questions about how babies are born, I finally told her just how that happens. My vague answer that "the doctor" helps the Mommy get the baby out that placated her at age three would no longer suffice. At the ripe old age of four, she wanted to know EXACTLY how the doctor helped Mommies get their babies out and from EXACTLY where. According to the parenting books I had read, this conversation wasn't supposed to take place until she was much closer to puberty. I shouldn't have been surprised that she was ready to discuss this topic before she even started preschool. Our little girl frequently asked questions that other children her age did not such as "Which species of birds migrate and how do they know when to depart?" (age three) and "When the earth rotates on it's axis why don't we fall off?" (age four). She had always been fascinated by the workings of the human body as well. Several months before this conversation, she had checked out a junior high level textbook from the library titled "The Excretory System". Instead of Disney Princess or My Little Pony, we talked about kidneys at bedtime.
A few days after we had this conversation, my husband was reading to her from her children's Bible as part of the bedtime routine. This particular evening's story was of Jesus's birth, one of her favorites. Before he began reading, she said " Daddy, I know how Jesus was born." I'm certain that my husband was expecting her to tell him that it was in a manger or on Christmas Eve. Instead, she simply stated "He came out of Mary's (insert cutesy name for female private part)." Joe replied "Who. Told. You. THAT?!" to which she said "Mommy." Mistaking his shock and embarrassment for confusion, she gently patted his arm and said "Don't worry, Daddy. I'm sure if you ask, Mommy will explain it all to you too."
A couple of years later, after a few days of public school and half a dozen bus rides, she wanted to know how Mommies became pregnant. She also wanted to know why God would decide to give a fourteen year old a baby. I explained to her that God created a way for a married man and woman to show love to one another that sometimes results in a baby. I told her that when this occurs outside of marriage, a woman can also become pregnant. She asked me if Daddy knew about this, and when I assured her that he did she was not convinced. Although she wanted more details, I told her this was all the information she was getting. I then reminded her, as I typically do when we have these sorts of talks, that this information was not to be shared with her friends because their parents may not appreciate it. My daughter then rolled her eyes and said "They still think that their baby brothers and sisters came out of their Mommies' belly buttons. They must be getting their information from their dads."
Love it!!!!!
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