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facts of life/sex - how old were your DC when you had the discussion?

28 replies

DarylDixonsDarlin · 25/04/2015 10:34

Just that really, please can you share with me how old your DC were when you had a discussion with them about sex, relationships, body changes/puberty and everything that goes with it?

Also helpful to know if they prompted it, or was it you as parents? Boy or girl, does this have any impact on the age at which the discussion happened? Did you use a book as a talking point, if so can you recommended one for me?

DS is nearly 9 and has been asking a few questions lately, about my sanpro and the durex lube he came across (hidden under my bed!). He started asking me questions again last night, but was kind of hiding under the pillow saying he didnt want to know about it because it was rude (the sanpro). We had a conversation a couple of weeks ago about no more babies in our family, he asked how did I know for sure and I said we have ways of making sure I don't get pregnant again - he loudly exclaimed oh yeah I know, you're going to eat one of those Durex things aren't you Grin so I think we owe it to him to be honest about that, at least!

I don't know what his school's sex education policy is, have no idea if/when it will be mentioned at school, he's coming to the end of Yr4. My friend bought a book (usborne I think) which was suitable for 9+years for her DS, I liked it overall but it seemed to cover way more than I had planned to talk about with my DS Confused.

DH thinks he knew by the age of about 8yo, some boys he was playing with told him. I had an awareness of periods by about 10yo, but I'm not sure I understood what sex actually was until I was in secondary school at 11yo.

DS and younger DD know that a baby is made by a seed from a man and an egg from a woman, and they know the baby grows in the uterus and then is either born through the vagina or c section (in my case). But they don't know how the egg and seed meet, and they didnt ask at the time she I had my last baby so there was no need for further explanations.

OP posts:
NinjaLeprechaun · 28/04/2015 08:27

It also talked about masturbation without calling it anything, just boys rub their penis and it feels nice.
Girls do it too. Shock Did they mention that? (Sadly, I think this fact gets overlooked far too often.)

My daughter was a farm kid, raised in the country, and I always made sure she understood that the same basic concepts applied to human animals as well.
When she was about 4 she explained, very matter of factly, to my mum, that when she spent the night at her grandparent's house that "that's when my parents mate."

When she was about 9 we both went to a really good mother/daughter class, put on by the local community support organization. Which covered things I probably wouldn't have thought of as well as the basics.

My mum was a pre-school teacher for years, and they used to teach their kids - and she taught my daughter at about 2 or 3 - a song with the words "My body's nobodies body but mine. You mind your own body, let me mind mine." Which I think sums that issue up fairly concisely.

gourd · 28/04/2015 09:48

We told DD (4 and half) things about body changes, conception, pregnancy and childbirth as and when she's asked or when it seemed appropriate to mention (she saw blood in toilet so I explained what a period is and that it doesnt hurt etc). She also has a photo book about her with scan pictures, pictures of me lifting her out of the water seconds after birth etc so we have talked about her birth with her. She's pretty clued up, though details of contraception, and other issues like IVF, donor eggs etc etc haven't been mentioned, but should she ask, or if it comes up we will just tell her. We also have the "It's not the stork" book which she loves and which covers all of this but she isn't interestred in everything in it and just skips to the bits she likes, (body changes, conception to some extent though only because the cartoon egg has a smiley face... pregnancy & birth bits - she's particularly interested in twins, triplets etc and the picture of the dog with puppies!) so we havent read everything yet. Shes asked me questions which I answer as best I can, except the one about why do men have nipples which I had to laugh at and said "I dont know! as it seems strange to me as well!

gourd · 28/04/2015 09:48

We told DD (4 and half) things about body changes, conception, pregnancy and childbirth as and when she's asked or when it seemed appropriate to mention (she saw blood in toilet so I explained what a period is and that it doesnt hurt etc). She also has a photo book about her with scan pictures, pictures of me lifting her out of the water seconds after birth etc so we have talked about her birth with her. She's pretty clued up, though details of contraception, and other issues like IVF, donor eggs etc etc haven't been mentioned, but should she ask, or if it comes up we will just tell her. We also have the "It's not the stork" book which she loves and which covers all of this but she isn't interestred in everything in it and just skips to the bits she likes, (body changes, conception to some extent though only because the cartoon egg has a smiley face... pregnancy & birth bits - she's particularly interested in twins, triplets etc and the picture of the dog with puppies!) so we havent read everything yet. Shes asked me questions which I answer as best I can, except the one about why do men have nipples which I had to laugh at and said "I dont know! as it seems strange to me as well!

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