Sex Education

Gingham_R

This subject shouldn't be treated as any different to any other in my opinion. When a child asks, tell them in an age appropriate way and if they don't ask, wait until you feel they need to know and tell them in an age appropriate way. I don't think there's anything more to it than that.

Q - Why does my willy stand up/get hard?
A - That happens when you touch it sometimes and it's nothing to worry about/It will need to do that when you get older so the sperm can travel through it to make a baby/The more you touch it the more that will happen, but because willies are private, you have to do that in your own room or the bathroom...

Q - what's a sanitary towel/tampon?
A - it's a way of catching the womb lining when it's not needed to help a baby grow/women's bodies get ready to have a baby every month. If they don't have a baby inside them, they don't need their womb lining so their body gets rid of it and the towel/tampon catches it.

Q - how did the baby get inside you?
A - daddy's sperm met my egg and they began to grow inside me into a baby.

Q - how did the sperm get to the egg?
A - I don't think there's anything wrong with 'grown-up cuddle' here for very young children but when they're asking more they just need simple facts and that's it.

Whatever fits for that time, surely?

Neither of mine are embarrassed by any of this, and they watched this over and over again. (They're 4 and 7.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00gwvl7

dizsiebubba

Gingham_R wrote: »

This subject shouldn't be treated as any different to any other in my opinion. When a child asks, tell them in an age appropriate way and if they don't ask, wait until you feel they need to know and tell them in an age appropriate way. I don't think there's anything more to it than that.

Which i completely agree with, but i do not think it is age appropriate to let them see you change a tampon, i do not think it is any kind of appropriate... however, I now think that the user was just making it up to cause a bit of a stir for fun as what she says doesn't even make sense... how could a toddler who is in the bath see you bleeding whilst on the loo? Unless im doing something wrong with mine, because i certainly don't wave them around for third parties to view...

jjblondie

My mother bought me a simple Usbourne book "Where do babies come from?" when I was about 7, along with a periods book a short while later called "Everything you ever wanted to ask about periods". I'd really recommend the latter because it is full of quotes from young girls and teenagers on how they felt and experienced various aspects of puberty.

Other than buying the books she never told me anything, but we have never been close so it would have been strange. I always had the internet and used that to find out more facts if I wanted to know them.

I agree it's essential to explain about periods ASAP as I'm sure I started very shortly after I was bought the book. Please also explain where you keep the pads/tampons, as I didn't particularly want to ask that but had to as no-one told me.

Jinx

I bought my daughter a growing up book from a large book store and one specifically called 'The Period Book'. It was excellent and they both sat on our bookshelf and moved back and forward to her room...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0749917059/?!!!!!googhydr-21&hvadid=3459928866&ref=pd_sl_6tc007lb5b_e

I also found the soaps a great topic opener - oh what do you think of that? sort of idea. Although not everyones fave they do cover I think alllll eventualities! I actually think she got more from these general chats on thoughts, feelings, situations than just the mechanics of it all.

ETA My daughter and I chose a lovely bag and some different sanitary products before she started so she could have a choice and decide what she liked best.