posted August 29, 2006 04:21 PM         

He knows that babies are made from a cell from the mom and a cell from the dad, that the baby grows inside the mothers uterus and is born through the birth canal... the basic info. But I've never mentioned that this occurs when a man places his penis into a woman's vagina. (Couldn't that be phrased differently? Like: when a woman accepts a man's penis into her vagina? I just realized that the former is how it's almost always described, but I digress... a topic for another day, perhaps!)

But how will/have you handled this with your own children. Or if you don't have children, how do you plan to discuss this?

posted August 30, 2006 03:29 PM         

Thank you!

posted August 30, 2006 03:44 PM         

At what age do you get more scientific?

I know that overall I want to teach that sexual expression is a healthy, multi-functional type of thing, but at the same time not to be taken lightly. I want my children to understand that it is natural and not something to be ashamed of, but to realize the sacred aspects of it.

That's why I feel like teaching them about which parts go where seems incomplete without teaching them WHY. Not necessarily in the same conversation, or even at the same age. Part of me feels like it is best to (softly) explain this when they are still young enough to not be embarrassed. I just want it to be... natural. Not taboo.

How 'bout this: Does anyone feel like the way they learned about sex... I mean learned specifically what it really is... was done in a particularly superb way?

Or: Specific tips on what NOT to do, as per personal experience.

posted August 30, 2006 04:43 PM         

I don't think there's anything inherently taboo about the the physical aspects. Not at all. For me it's about age appropriateness, you know? Does a five year old need to know exactly how a uterus works? More importantly, is that really what the five year is interested in? My observation is that the spirit of a small child of that age is still working his or her way into a complete physical manifestation - they're still very much half in/half out, I've noticed. So, that leads me to think a sprirtual answer to the "where did I come from?" question is more age sensitive than a biology lesson. Most of us are embedded quite well in the material and we tend to see things from that perspective. But I don't think children do.

I agree that the sacredness of the act should be shared. I think approaching it first from the spiritual and progressing to the physical would be useful in that way.

I would maybe answer the biological aspect of the question when it specifically became a biology question. I imagine that would depend on the child.

posted August 30, 2006 06:56 PM         

I want to teach her not to be ashamed of her body. I will bather in front of her (she is 5). She will point and ask what various body parts are and I tell her. That it. Same like an arm or a leg. No special attention. She DOES know that certain parts are private, etc. etc. (bad touches, etc.)

posted August 30, 2006 08:16 PM         

But... eventually, that point will come. When it does, how would you explain it and how would you (if you would) explain why?

Thank you for the discussion, ladies. My intro to sex was also horrible, but in a different way. Sex was waaaaaaaaaaaay overrated in my house and was very objectified. So sexual relations began at an early age for me because I was bombarded with unhealthy, albeit open, sexual messages.