Very inquisitive son

[MrsArchieTheInventor]

DS wants to know what words mean and so far we're doing ok with simple but accurate answers (e.g. what does posh/temper/wall/door/bird/glass/cooking mean?) However, last night he asked what 'fire' means and I couldn't come up with a simple answer. I don't want to go into the science of it (not that I could if I wanted to) but I don't know how to explain fire. Any ideas?

Also, he says every day that he wants more brothers and sisters and he knows that he grew in my tummy and that daddy grew in grandma's tummy etc, but I don't know how to answer the question that's inevitably coming 'how are babies made'. He's 4 and I simply don't know what I should be saying. There's always the answer of 'daddy puts the seed into mummy's tummy' etc but he's going to follow that on with hows, whys and whens along with a request to watch it happen! Does anyone know of any good books for children of this age for when that question inevitably comes?

Mrs Archie, your ds is not inquisitive, he just has a normal interest in the world.

Re the facts of life: sexual intercourse was explained to my dc as "special cuddles". They never wanted to see it happen but if they had asked, I would just have explained that it is something that happens in private. I was keen to explain the ideas of fertilisation and conception to them so that they would not grow up with mistaken ideas about it. You don't have to go into a lot of detail, and be prepared for the fact that they are quite likely to forget what you've said, and may not take on board the more difficult concepts for quite a while. But at least then they won't have the realisation that the adults have been fobbing them off if not lying to them all this time.

This is the book I had when I was four

www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Did-Come-Peter-Mayle/dp/0230015492.

In hindsight, I think my mum would probably have preferred it if I hadn't insisted on reading it out to all my four year friends. so maybe one for the top shelf

'Mummy Laid an Egg' is a great book, really helped me explain to DSD. Nice and simple and fun and pitched at good level.