When did you give the birds and bees talk to your kids and...

[Darsa]

DD14 and I talk about e v e r y t h i n g. I thank God on a daily basis that she's comfortable with talking to me about anything on her mind. She tells me some of the things she hears at school from the other kids and while she's going I'm going ! Some of the things they say in school... I don't remember hearing that stuff as a kid!

I definitely agree that the sooner the better in this case. I think the communication thing starts from the very youngest age, and the younger your kid realizes that they CAN talk about anything to their mom, the better. IMHO, of course.

 

[stashbin]

My DD's have always referred to my tampons as "mommy's sticks"....the other day my 8 year old asked me what the stick was for and I was caught off guard! I told her I would tell her when she was a little older. I guess that was a mistake...because I caught her trying to catch a peek at me in the bathroom using a stick.

I know I am going to have to talk to her soon...lots sooner than I ever needed to be talked to unfortunately! Is it me or does it seem like things are moving faster now?

 

[Magic Mom]

My DD's have always referred to my tampons as "mommy's sticks"....the other day my 8 year old asked me what the stick was for and I was caught off guard! I told her I would tell her when she was a little older. I guess that was a mistake...because I caught her trying to catch a peek at me in the bathroom using a stick.

I know I am going to have to talk to her soon...lots sooner than I ever needed to be talked to unfortunately! Is it me or does it seem like things are moving faster now?

The American Girl book the Care and Keeping of You has a whole section on periods and tampons complete with cartoon pictures. It was a great help when I explained them to DD, plus she loved the book for all the other info (face care, body hair/shaving, friends, etc.) Barnes and Nobles carrys it.

 

[stashbin]

The American Girl book the Care and Keeping of You has a whole section on periods and tampons complete with cartoon pictures. It was a great help when I explained them to DD, plus she loved the book for all the other info (face care, body hair/shaving, friends, etc.) Barnes and Nobles carrys it.

I am going to go get this book this weekend. She loves the American Girl books so this will be perfect! I truly did not know what to say..I mean I was running late for work and it just caught me off guard. But I know now that she is showing interest I need to take the opportunity (even though she is only 8)

Thanks so much for the book suggestion!

 

[beattyfamily]

It's been ongoing since they were little. I have two girls ages 10 and 13. They have known about periods since they were tiny and know why and how it happens. My bathroom door is always open or opened by my kids!

I gave each of them a (religious slanted) book at age 10 with the basics about body changes and then a more detailed (religious slanted) book about why you are changing and how babies are made etc... With both books, I asked if they had any questions. They each had a couple here and there.

My 13 year old has now completely shut down now. She HATES if and when I bring anything to do with it up. Start early, people...before they start to get embarrassed!

Now I'm finding it more difficult to express other aspects of sex like oral for example... I'm working on it though, if she would just hear me out without freaking out! The car is good but many times my 10 year old is there so the times are few and far between.

Good luck, fellow parents.

 

[kristilew]

The American Girl book the Care and Keeping of You has a whole section on periods and tampons complete with cartoon pictures. It was a great help when I explained them to DD, plus she loved the book for all the other info (face care, body hair/shaving, friends, etc.) Barnes and Nobles carrys it.

Ditto for my DD. The "growth and changes" class the public school sponsored in 5th grade had a nutso teacher who told the girls that tampons were really likely to shred inside them, getting stuck and causing life-threatening complications. Scared my poor kid to death - and she spends all summer at sailing camp - she came home crying that she wouldn't be able to go to camp once she got her period. The AG book calmed her down a lot.

This was the same class and teacher that deemed it worthwhile to include on reproduction day the woman who had a sex change then decided to conceive. Not that people don't have the right to do whatever they want, but out of 5 days of introducing "growth and changes", this was high priority enough to spend a day on????

Needless to say, I opted out for the 6th grade "stepping stones" class, taught by the same teacher. Where are you going to step on to from "tampons will kill you and if you have a sex change operation you can still get pregnant"?

 

[Magic Mom]

This was the same class and teacher that deemed it worthwhile to include on reproduction day the woman who had a sex change then decided to conceive. Not that people don't have the right to do whatever they want, but out of 5 days of introducing "growth and changes", this was high priority enough to spend a day on????

It is for someone that has an agenda.

Needless to say, I opted out for the 6th grade "stepping stones" class, taught by the same teacher. Where are you going to step on to from "tampons will kill you and if you have a sex change operation you can still get pregnant"?

Good for you.

 

[Lachesis00]

Do you guys have books you can recommend? I would just hate for D to get information from his friends... and not an adult figure.

My oldest son learned the reprocussions by seeing his Aunt have 3 kids when she was young, too young. She had a hard time supporting/dealing with when they were little... He was 5 when my first nephew was born and 11 when the last was born? And then 16 and 17 when his siblings were born As much as he loves them, he has sworn off kids LOL.

 

[mjkacmom]

My 13 year old has now completely shut down now. She HATES if and when I bring anything to do with it up. Start early, people...before they start to get embarrassed!

This is it exactly. I'm been discussing oral sex with dd13 since she was 10 (because of horror stories I was hearing about the middle school she currently attends ), and although she might give me a "I know, mom," we can still talk. Same with ds11. It's amazing how quickly those doors SLAM shut when they're teens! I also think discussions involving drugs, alcohol, and smoking need to start very early, too, and at least they're easier!

 

[paintnolish]

To a certain extent, I think you should let your child dictate when they need what info (I don't mean wait until they are 16!). I just answer my children's questions frankly as they come along. DD (who has known about menstruation for awhile) was asking me how a tampon worked. I got one, opened it, and explained its parts. DS sat there, eating his chips and soda, and said, " I am so glad I am not a girl!"