The question has been raised by our 7 1/2 yo ds...

[momtolgd]

"Mom, where do babies come from?"... :o

How do we approach this one? Can anyone recommend a good book that would be age appropriate to help us talk about this one?

He's our oldest and the first to ask.

Thanks for any help.

[Beth in Central TX]

My DH is going through this series with our boys: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=060130&netp_id=458252&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=details

We found the books to be age appropriate and doesn't give too much detailed information too soon.

[Joanne]

"Mom, where do babies come from?"...

I'm from the "tell them the truth" camp.

"God made women's and men's bodies to work together to make babies! Mom has one part called an egg inside her body. Dad has another part, called a sperm. Mommies and Daddies spend private time together to make a baby and show love as husband and wife. You know how you have a pen*s? And girls have va*i*as? They fit together so Daddy's sperm can meet the egg and that egg grows into a baby."

[Kay in Cal]

Since our oldest has been about 4 he's enjoyed the book "It's Not the Stork", which says it is for 4-7 year olds. Specifics: This is from a kid-friendly straight-forward and secular perspective, narrated by a cartoon bird and bee. It has drawings of naked children with labled body parts, and drawings of the insides of adult bodies... it briefly talks about sex and has a drawing of a smiling woman and man under a blanket. There is mention of in-vitro fertilization and there are pictures of families of all sorts. The book does not deal with issues like abortion or sexually transimitted diseases.

http://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-Stork-Families-Friends/dp/0763600474

[Scarlett]

I had a book that pretty much said word for word what Joanne just said. I read it to ds when he was not yet 7. When I got to the part about the P*nis and V he said, 'well. Wasn't expecting that.' Still makes me laugh to remember his response.

But yes. The truth is always best. Sometimes they don't REALLY want to know ALL the truth first question though. Might be that you can feel out your 7 1/2 year old and see what he is really asking.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Hmmm. We did Human Body study in first grade, so my dc already knew the basics by that age. I guess I'd start there, from an anatomical perspective. Don't need to get much into the logistics of how the sperm and egg get together, just that they do, and what happens after that. The s@x questions will keep coming up, but you don't need to answer them now, unless he's specifically asking

[Ferdie]

We used the series that Beth recommended above, God's Design for S*x. I skipped book one, because our kids were older and started with book 2.

[Cadam]

We read the kids "The wonderful way babies are made" It has two sets of text. One for littles and one for slightly older kids.

I think I would start with a basic "the baby grows in their mommy's body" and see if there are more questions from there. My guess is you will easily need to work up to the physical basics of how the baby gets in there but I like to start small and see what the child wants to know.

Age apropriate truth works for me.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I agree with Kay in Cal. I like their books though I don't agree with everything in the latter ones. I like that they are straight forward and clear as well as enjoyable.

This is the one we have (though my kids are now older). I believe it's for 7yrs and up.

http://www.amazon.com/Its-So-Amazing-Babies-Families/dp/0763613215/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204746708&sr=8-2

[momtolgd]

We read the kids "The wonderful way babies are made" It has two sets of text. One for littles and one for slightly older kids.

I think I would start with a basic "the baby grows in their mommy's body" and see if there are more questions from there. My guess is you will easily need to work up to the physical basics of how the baby gets in there but I like to start small and see what the child wants to know.

Age apropriate truth works for me.


He already knows this basic stuff...what he doesn't know is "how" the baby gets in there. He was 6 when baby #3 was born...he (and his sister) went to all my doctor appointments with me, and they were actually in the room when the baby was born. (very fast delivery, not enough time to get anyone there to sit with them, so they were in the room watching from the side) So he knows that process, but doesn't know how it all starts...that is what he is asking about. (the uncomfortable to talk about part. :o) )

[momtolgd]

Thank you all for these suggestions, I will look up these books tonight and see what looks best for us right now.

[Mrs Mungo]

We read the kids "The wonderful way babies are made" It has two sets of text. One for littles and one for slightly older kids.

I think I would start with a basic "the baby grows in their mommy's body" and see if there are more questions from there. My guess is you will easily need to work up to the physical basics of how the baby gets in there but I like to start small and see what the child wants to know.

Age apropriate truth works for me.

I agree, I love that book.

[beansprouts]

Deleted - someone else already said what I had posted

[Daisy]

I'd want to know what exactly he was asking. At that age my DD was very content to learn about how babies developed in the Mom's uterus. I showed her pictures of baby's developing. We talked about how the baby would come out, etc. But never had to get into "how" the baby got in. IF that question were asked I would have responded with the truth in a very simple but factual way.

[Joanne]

So he knows that process, but doesn't know how it all starts...that is what he is asking about. (the uncomfortable to talk about part. ) )
__________________

It might help to remember that children don't "lose their innocence" by having real, accurate biological information. There is nothing inherently wrong with knowing the mechanics of sex, procreation and that married adults are intimate.

Children "lose innocence" by being over-sexualized, over exposed to mature media.

I see people assume that knowledge of sexual facts somehow hurts kids, accelerates maturity or puts them at risk. Studies show the opposite.

[GothicGyrl]

I'm from the "tell them the truth" camp.

"God made women's and men's bodies to work together to make babies! Mom has one part called an egg inside her body. Dad has another part, called a sperm. Mommies and Daddies spend private time together to make a baby and show love as husband and wife. You know how you have a pen*s? And girls have va*i*as? They fit together so Daddy's sperm can meet the egg and that egg grows into a baby."
Amen and Amen.

That's exactly how I approached it with both of my girls at the same age.. actually, 15DD was only 4 as I was pregnant with her sister, but it worked. The truth should never be feared.

[cin]

Just be glad you don't have to deal with the adoption issue too....So, who made me? :( We are sooooo dreading the Facts of Life talks

[Mabelen]

My just 4 yo dd asked this question a couple of weeks ago. She asked, "Mom, how do babies get in their mom's tummy?". She already knew how babies grow in their mom's belly. We just told her the part of the mom's egg meeting the dad's sperm and forming an embryo that grows into a baby and she was happy as Larry. No further questions, she was satisfied with that information.

[Eliana]

While I think Joanne is *absolutely* right that accurate information doesn't cause kids to lose their innocence, I also believe that it is important to answer both the question the child is really asking and on the level s/he is ready for.

For our kids at that stage, hearing about the sperm and the egg and the baby growing in the uterus satisfied their curiosity. When they asked *how* does that happen, how do they actually get together, then we answer that question, as matter-of-fact-ly and as candidly as any other question they might ask. (with each of my older daughters this veered into a social/emotional/relationship discussion, with my son it went into a cellular level analysis of each step of the process, which enzymes do what... )

So, start with a simple, but truthful answer and follow her questions... imho, the most important thing to teach a child in these conversations is that s/he can talk openly with you about whatever s/he wants to know or understand.... and that s/he can trust you to give straight answers to her/his questions.

Eliana

[Eliana]

It might help to remember that children don't "lose their innocence" by having real, accurate biological information. There is nothing inherently wrong with knowing the mechanics of sex, procreation and that married adults are intimate.

Children "lose innocence" by being over-sexualized, over exposed to mature media.

I see people assume that knowledge of sexual facts somehow hurts kids, accelerates maturity or puts them at risk. Studies show the opposite.

Well said!

One quick reaction: I think it isn't good for kids for us to press information on them if they aren't ready for it. I think we should candidly answer their questions, and create space for them to ask those questions, but not all kids who ask where babies come from are ready, imho, to get a detailed description of intercourse, etc. ...but even if they get more info than they're ready for, it won't, imho, make them any less innocent or any more s*xualized.

Thanks for raising this point, Joanne! I wanted to give you a rep point, but I have to share it around more before I'm allowed to!

Eliana

[Friederike in Persia]

That's what all children get tought here and many girls don't know anything else up to their wedding day:eek:

Friederike in Tajikistan

[Mrs Mungo]

That's what all children get tought here and many girls don't know anything else up to their wedding day:eek:

Friederike in Tajikistan

My kids would always be begging for a new baby every time we went out shopping, lol! Don't the kids know any pregnant women? What do they think happens with that?