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hee hee! I'm not sure that It's Not the Stork and It's So Amazing even cover that topic.
In all seriousness, if you asked her whether she thought she bothered you, what do you think she'd say? (Not that you'd ever say it to her, but I wonder what her response would be.)
We recently had "the talk" with our nine year old (she was asking lots and lots of questions) and I am recommending this book to anyone who has similarly inquisitive kids: "Boys, Girls & Body Science" - it was great, explained everything you need to explain, and dealt perfectly with the embarrassing-ness of the conversation.
although, you are right - birth control may not have come up. I suppose you'd have to embellish that!
Ianqui, I may go to some sort of hall of fame for bad parenting for this, but I think both my kids would affirm that they bother me sometimes. Because they do, and I certainly have said "Stop bothering me!" to them. I mean, I never would have said that to a toddler who can't be expected to know better, but I personally don't think older kids ought to be led to believe that obnoxious behavior isn't bothering the people around them. If I'm trying to get something done and one of my kids is humming in my face, jumping on the back of my neck, pestering me with attention-hungry questions, etc., etc., you better believe they will hear that they are bothering me -- and that they'll get whatever it is they're after a lot faster if they STOP bothering me and let me finish what I'm doing.
I also think, though, that both my kids know that I love them like crazy even when they are bothering me. Which I hope lets them know that they don't have to be perfect to be loved.
K, thanks for the tip! Filing it away for later use...
Laughing out loud. Okay, there's my proof. I was just negotiating a dispute between LG and BB in which I suggested that BB play her hockey game in a different room from LG's baseball game, and she said, "Well, I don't want to play it in this room, because I might bother you."
We agreed that I would not be bothered as long as the hockey puck does not hit any part of me higher up than my feet. (Also if she's not shrieking like a banshee during said hockey game.)
A just asked the "how do I not have a baby question" as well. Two peas in a pod they are. You handled it much better than I did...
Well, this morning N asked me how they tell which eggs are eggs for eating and which eggs have baby chickens in them. I told him that I wasn't sure, but that what I thought is that in order to have baby chickens, you needed a rooster, which is a boy chicken, and that when they're making eggs for eating, they don't let any roosters into the hen house.
That's certainly also an effective way of not having babies, although it has its disadvantages as well.
Wow. I've certainly heard tales from parents of kids asking "where do babies come from?" but never "how do I not have a baby?" That's an interesting (and thoughtful) twist!
Today the dog was lying on his back, and Lucas pointed to the dog's penis and said, "Look at that!" And I said, "That's his penis." And Lucas said, "Noooo, Mommy, dogs don't have penis." Which unfortunately launched us into a conversation about who and what has or doesn't have a penis. For those of you keeping track:
Penis yes: all humans, even Mommy
Penis no: dogs, cats, potties, computers
I'm not looking forward to the sex talk. I guess that's why I have Mr. MB--so he can talk to Lucas about sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
We've had several versions of the how you make babies discussion. Haven't yet talked about how NOT to...
Your kids are just so fireplacing smart!!
Another one here for having had the how babies are made discussion (It's Not the Stork was very useful - I had bought It's So Amazing and found it a little grown-up for him yet, but that was about 2 or 3 years ago so it might be good the next time this comes up) but not the how not to have babies discussion. I like how you handled it. Wonder what age I should expect to have that discussion?
We have had the discussion about how it's preferable to wait until you're old enough, probably post-college, to have babies. Jamie Lynn Spears (who I didn't know he knew about) and a couple familial examples of teenage pregnancies led to this discussion a while back - I always walk the line between absolutely not condemning (especially since one family member's father doesn't talk to her and her one-year-old) but making clear that it's a very hard thing to do, has derailed these girls' education and made them take on adult responsibilities very early, and that later would be a much better time to have babies. But the idea that one can have sex without babies hasn't entered the discussion yet, though it certainly will at some point.
*laughing* I didn't like kids much when I was a kid, either!
Tristan came home from a day in Grade 1 recently and said, a propos of exactly nothing, "You have a uterus and I don't." I agreed with him, and that was the end of the conversation. After about two hours, again a propos of exactly nothing, he came up to me and asked, "If the baby grows in your uterus, how does it get out?" So I told him, and -- he didn't believe me. Snort.
We had a Difficult Conversation recently. Turns out if you let an 8 year old read YA fiction you get asked: "What's a pr0st1tut3?"
My Love handled it pretty well, I thought at the time. Endorphins, addiction, social unrest. But I realized afterward that because of that unfortunate lead in, we have now covered mechanics of reproduction, social ills associated therewith, and termination of small bundles of cells. But not love and joyful union, ya know? I will remember to cover that at the next opportunity.
I love it; you have the BEST conversations with your kiddos.
We frequently have the how NOT to have babies talk.
"Mama, did you take your pill so you won't get a baby in your uterus?"
Alternatively, sometimes Whirlygirl will tell me not to take my pill, because she wants to have another sister. Nope. Sorry, kid.
And, oh my, BB cracks me up!
I heart BB. She really is very cool.
LOL, I love it.
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