How are babies made?

Discussion in 'The Toddler Years(1-3)' started by Rollergiraffe, Jan 22, 2014.

  1. Rollergiraffe

    Rollergiraffe Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    How did you answer that? I got the question and we used science terms and showed them pictures of babies growing in tummies, but they keep asking more questions. What's the age appropriate way to talk about it?
     
  2. daisies

    daisies Well-Known Member

    we are not there yet but i have been pinteresting books that have been mentioned in another forum i belong to:
     
    It is not the stork
     
    What makes a baby - this was suggested by a lesbian mom.  one of their children were conceived through surrogate, the other came to them through adoption...  I haven't read the book but do intend to check it out.. families are made in so many ways now a days.and this looks like it would be a good way to cover the basics but leave the possibilities open for discussion at a later time.  
     
     
  3. Rollergiraffe

    Rollergiraffe Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    That looks like an awesome book! Thanks for the suggestion.
     
  4. miss_bossy18

    miss_bossy18 Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I've reached the conclusion with my kids that my pre-conceived ideas of age appropriate are usually way off. I've taken to answering the direct question only in a straight forward way.
     
    3 people like this.
  5. ECUBitzy

    ECUBitzy Well-Known Member

    I think I'd probably deflect by saying "where do you think they come from?" I'd probably correct any misinformation and then not elaborate too much.

    So not ready to think about this! Jen, tell those boys to SLOW DOWN.
     
  6. Rollergiraffe

    Rollergiraffe Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I did ask them where they came from, they had some.. umm.. interesting responses. And there's been some.. umm.. alarming word misinterpretations. Miles asked me last night where I got the spray in my tummy to make a baby. :woah:Kris had told him that sperm meets egg.. he heard "spray".
     
  7. Rollergiraffe

    Rollergiraffe Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Also, I ordered that book last night. I'll let you know how it goes! One of my boys can be sort of brushed off, but the other one will ask about it until he knows every detail and is satisfied that he has it down pat, so books are great for this. I don't mind them having facts, I just don't want to confuse them while I trip over my words.
     
  8. daisies

    daisies Well-Known Member

    I think the more age appropriate information the better.  I remember my mom reading to my 3 year old brother about the birds and the bees and the animals and people. I was 13 at the time and remember thinking 'he is too young for this'.  my mom said, 'that is when i told you.'
     
    Looking back as an adult i think she did it right. I never remember being confused and for as long as i could remember, I understood the 'facts of life'.  I remember as a teen thinking kids were so childish when they gossiped about that stuff.. to me it was old information.  i was also surprised how often they had the facts wrong.
     
    It is funny my mom handled it like she did because i don't remember ever talking to her about sex.. ever.  We had the 'wait until you are married talk' but nothing about sex.  However she always made sure we were informed.  As a teen i would find articles laying around (usually in the bathroom) that had good age appropriate info in them.  It wasn't until i was an adult that i realized she (or maybe my dad) planted them for me to read. A good tactic for a teen who would never have read it because they suggested!
    I always felt i was smarter than my friends about sex and i think the facts took the mystery out of it for me. I think it was a big part in why, I was the last of my friends to have sex by many, many years.
     
    I plan to handle sex ed the same way with our kids except we will talk about it openly also.   ;) 
     
  9. FGMH

    FGMH Well-Known Member

    Since we told our twins that we are having a baby I have been waiting for this question. But so far they are not overly concerned with how the baby got into my tummy, they are all about what happens during pregnancy and how the baby gets out. All information which I have no problem explaining that to them and showing them pictures etc. 
     
    I have no problem telling them about how babies are made either if they ask, but one of mine is a more visual type and often needs pictures as well as an age appropriate explanation and I am a bit at a loss for a suitable book. So, Amy, I will be checking your book recomendations just in case, because browsing in our library I only found books that I thought were too explicit and detailed for their age.
     
    Edited because I accidentally hit post too soon
     
  10. ljcrochet

    ljcrochet Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I thought of this thread today. My girls are older. S was reading a brochure from a doggy day camp. She asked why the dogs had to be neutured or fixed.
    DH explained about having puppies. Needing a male and female.

    From that she asked about her friend who had 2 moms
    I thought of this thread today. My girls are older. S was reading a brochure from a doggy day camp. She asked why the dogs had to be neutured or fixed.
    DH explained about having puppies. Needing a male and female.

    From that she asked about her friend who had 2 moms
     
  11. daisies

    daisies Well-Known Member

    yeah, families today, more than ever, can have all kinds of different 'looks'.  I hope i will succeed in teaching my kids acceptance of differences.
     
    A while back, I read a great article called Parents, Please Educate Your Kids About Adoption So Mine Don't Have To
    Adoption is close to my heart so this really struck home. It also made me realize that it is my job to educate my kids on differences they might see in their friends families. I don't want any child to be made to feel uncomfortable about their family no matter what their family 'looks' like.  
    It was a wake up call to me, that as a parent it is my job to educate my kids so they are aware that not every family 'looks' the same.  I don't want them to be the kid on the play ground asking insensitive questions. I want them to know our differences is what makes the world an interesting place.. and inside we are all the same.
     
  12. Rollergiraffe

    Rollergiraffe Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I just came back to this to say that the What Makes a Baby book is really great. It talks about how you need sperm, egg, and a uterus to make a baby,leaving it open to explain the two moms, two dads, whatever scenario. It also talks about vaginal birth and c-sections, And explains that it's a big deal for the baby and whoever is waiting for the baby to arrive. The illustrations are really great too. We read it every night.
     
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