Friend annoyed that I told my 9year old about birds and bees.

[howlingcow]

This weekend I told my 9year old DD the facts of life. We were watching Mamma Mia and she asked why the girl didn't know which was her father. She's a sensible girl who's interested in scientific stuff so I knew she could handle it, I also told her not to tell any of her friends as each parent decides when and how to broach the subject for the first time. Today when I told one of my closest friends whose DD is the same age as mine, she was really annoyed and kept stressing how much she hoped my DD wouldn't tell hers as she thinks she's too young-she even suggested mine might try it out now I've told her about it! Am I right to feel fed-up about this?

'she even suggested mine might try it out now I've told her about it!'

Does she have a) A tinfoil hat? b) a Republican Party Membership Card?

wedoNOT....funny you mention dot dot dot-that was another question my DD asked! Yes I think Mamma Mia is an incredibly good starting point to the whole subject-then when you've finished you can fast forward to 'Slipping through my fingers' and have a good cry as the words are so appropriate!!

I've explained to mine about where the water in the tap comes from and where it goes when they flush the loo. I've yet to find them setting up reed bed filtration systems in the back garden.

Funny you say that Narked...she's further to the right than the Daily Mail!!!

She also said that she doesn't want her DD to know yet as she's still having baths with her 7 year old brother.

My ds was 3 when he wanted to know where babies came from, and wouldn't stop asking questions till he had all the answers.
At 5, I was interrogated as to 'when two ladies love each other and want a baby, where do they get the seed from'. I was very shocked when a friend went ballistic that he might tell her dd about that conversation.

Your friend is odd imo

Am very by this thread. I can't imagine how any child can even get to age 9 without knowing about sex, unless told some unlikely stories about storks and being denied all access to nature documentaries....

My 5 year old knows exactly how babies are made (and can probably comment on the various sexual habits of different species, he loves nature documentaries). We first explained it to him when he was 2 and I was pg with his brother....

Ah howling you understand so well. I just love that film. I even watched it with the director's commentary when I was up all night feeding newborn dd2

as to how a 9yo bathing with her 7yo brother is even relevant when discussing the birds and the bees....is she in some way insinuating that either of them would use bathtime as some thing more? Because if that is the case, it is freaky.

Your friend is odd.

I was invited to a meeting to see the sex ed materials they are going to use with the Y4s, I wasn't able to go to the meeting but I did send them a letter about it. My letter was a warning because I have been a host surrogate so not only does my dd know how babies are usually made she knows a fair bit about the more unusual ways too!

Bet your friend is glad she's not my friend too!

completely agree with discrete.

I don't understand how she's got to 9 years old not knowing how babies are made?

My MIL told dd we ordered her from a shop :) That was helpful.

Sounds like your friend thinks her DD is a little child still... a 9 year old having baths with her 7-year-old brother? My DDs wouldn't let either parent in the bathroom with them by that age, never mind anyone else.

wedoNOT.....I've done the commentary bit too!! My eldest DD and I always watch it if she's ever been ill (she's got tonsillitis at the mo)....I think it should be on prescription!!!! :)

Good Heavens, we got sex education at school at aged nine and that was nearly 40 years ago, apparently my parents had already told us according to my sister but I can't remember it. My parents were very religious so if they could manage it then anyone can.

On another note the school sex education was really detailed and very good, from what I hear it was slightly unusual for the mid 1970's.

I told ds when he was 4 as he asked how babies were made.

I found out when I was in year 3 aged 8. Some of the boys brought pornographic magazines into school and there was lots of discussion about blow jobs and anal sex. I was determined that ds wouldn't find out the same way as I found it all very disturbing when I was so young.

I may have told ds about the biology of reproduction at an early age but he is so much more innocent than I was aged 8.

DS's first foray into sex ed came after an episode of the Tweenies of all things. He was about 4yo. There was a video clip of a lamb being born and he asked if people were born the same way. What choice do you have in that situation?

Your friend sounds like she subscribes to the view that 'ignorance is innocence' and I think that's really unfortunate. Her DD will end up being the confused one thinking she's dying the day she gets her first period.

Hopefully that at least never happens nowadays Cogito, thanks to schools. The story of the founding of the Samaritans is an awful one.

If the OP's friend is so determined to keep her DD in the dark she'll opt her out of the sex ed classes at school.

I can't help feeling that the reason she got so weird with me about it is partly down to jealousy as her DD is already acting like a stroppy teenager and their relationship is very tempestuous whereas (really hope this doesn't sound braggy!) my DD loves to talk about the world and everything in it and apart from the odd sulk, hasn't yet turned 'teen' on me. I think she'd already have a job getting her DD to discuss it in a rational way.

GobblersKnob

Op - sounds to me like she should be having that chat pretty soon, her dd could be starting.

Sounds like she's in denial that her 'little girl' is growing up. And yes, she may be jealous.