So Ds who is 7 is asking "questions", he is an only, im not sure how to tackle this, so advice please.

[cherrychoo]

Stuff like, "why do girls sit down to wee, and boys stand up?"

Could you advise me about:
As he is asking, he is ready right? So in what depth do you go explaining about stuff?

Im comfortable about explaining the difference between boys n girls, i think i will get a book from the library to help illistrate things.

But what do you call boys bits n girls bits? is it "penis" & "Vagina"?
any advice gratefully recieved.

You do need to teach them the proper naming of parts, but no reason not to teach them the words you want them to use day to day as well. It's not confusing - children of 7 can easily know they have a stomach, but call it their tummy (likewise, they pee and poo, not defecate and urinate). Willy is nigh on universal for penis, no consensus for vagina, though.

Do you have. dH/DP onto whom you can offload the task of explaining the standing wee?

Hi I have 3 girls (6,3,and 9mths) and a 5 yr old boy so the girl boy difference has always been apparent.

DS does ask a lot of questions about babies and names of bits so we just answer them factually (vagina, penis) but also let them have a nickname (minnies and willys in this house).

The only time we didnt go into the full facts was how does the seed get there (a special cuddle) as he was 4 at the time and I think thats a bit too young for the graphic details.

I think it's great you've got a book my mum told me NOTHING and so I dont want to make it a big thing for my DC.

DH could explain, but he asked me so i wanted to take the opportunity to explain to him

Omg, just logged on to post similar question - and your topic was top of the list. I'm afraid mine a little more advanced. Ds 8 in July & avid reader, so much so that teacher advised he should read with a dictionary. We bought Oxford school dictionary - but tonight he called me in to show me words 'sex', 'sexy' etc. With full description!! He was giggling etc, but did ask about putting a penis into a vagina!!!! "did you & daddy do that" aaaaarrrrgggh, is this not waaay too young. Help!!! He has a younger brother of 6 & I am imagining him discussing this with him tomoro - or friends in playground. What to do, please advise anyone who has experience.

We're not quite to the same stage as you dubbletrubble (oldest DD will be 6 in a couple more months), but I don't think it's too young at 8 really.

My DD1 has asked lots of questions about where babies some from since she was just over 4. We've answered them with just enough detail for her age, so that she knew you needed and mummy and daddy (people or animal) to make a baby etc. Her latest question a few weeks back was how does the seed get out of the daddy. So I told her it comes out of his willy (haven't introduced the word penis and vagina yet, not sure if I should!). That was enough detal for her, but I suspect I know the next question will be how does it get into the mummy. I think at this age it's just about knowing the facts, and I'd definitely rather she heard from me.

I personally don't remember being told, just finding out bit by bit and working it out - I'm pretty sure I knew by 8ish.

I think I'd tell him basic info. and probably at the same time his little brother too, otherwise you're right he might hear it from his big brother! Good luck!

Totally agree with you mrsbrollyhook, am ok about explaining it to him (& younger DS too) in basic terms, just worried that if I give them the facts well before their peers it might not be well received by other parents. I might add, this kind of 'sex' talk always comes around after football practice, has happened a couple of times in last few weeks, I have derived that there's a boy on the team who has an older brother, imparting this stuff to the rest of them. Don't want my boys doing a similar job in their playground.

What I would recommend is only answering the question he has actually asked. Explain that boys and girls are physically different, but no need to go into detail about the purpose of the different parts of the body iyswim. There is no need to provide a lot of info. He will ask follow-up questions as and when he is ready.

He has no siblings but has he not seen you and DH/DP naked? Surely he will have noticed the difference?

If not, I would just go ahead and explain that boys and girls are made differently, and wee differently because they have different bits. If that's all he's asking that will do for now.

7yo is fine for such questions btw, certainly not too early (a lot earlier in my house but then we had both sexes in the bath together as toddlers!)

We call it willy and fanny in this house - don't really like fanny but had to come up with a name when DD was about 2 and totally obsessed. Well recall warning our lovely childminder that she would be asked that day about her fanny and whether she had one!

dubbletrublle I think 8 is totally fine for a basic explanation of facts of life, if requested. My DS1 is almost 12 and has never really asked (tho I have had a chat with him about it anyway and of course they have sex ed in yr 6).