When do you talk about the birds and the bees?

[Anon4775312]

Today explained to my 7 yr old (and 5 yr old also listening but not looking too amused and I think it mostly went over his head), in age appropriate language, the mechanics of how a baby is made. This was prompted by him asking and me fobbing him off a few times before. Today I just thought he clearly wants to know, so I told him.

Now im freaking out. Was this really wrong? Is he too young? Will he suddenly want to go out and try it? I've explained it's only for grown ups and only when a husband and wife really love each other and both want to do it etc....

Ahhh ... Please tell me all is ok

When did you explain the mechanics to your children? Why is this so hard???

If they're old enough to ask, they're old enough to know.

Would you fob him off if he asked how his ears worked or wanted to know what happens to his food when he's swallowed it? No, probably not and it's no different.

Fwiw I just explain it to my dc, in quite a "matter of fact" way, every time they ask. I've shown them pictures in body books and answered questions about it when women we know have had babies. They haven't self-combusted yet.

We don't have a minimum age. We have a pretty relaxed atmosphere in our house for factual biological stuff like the birds and the bees. There's no lock on the bathroom door (just won't stay fixed and we've stopped bothering about it) and my DS asked basically WTF when he saw me changing Sanpro when he was 4 or 5 and I explained it as simply as I could. Menstrual blood, uterus lining, no baby this month.

The only thing I haven't talked about is the actual PIV act. They've got the rest but I don't want my DS thinking about his little man being put in anything!

And my almost teen DD and her 9yo DSis even know their dad and I have sex on occasion! Omg! Mortifying for the teen 😂😂😂 but at least I think she will come to me when she feels she needs to talk about things. There's no shame in being well informed about sex.

Only kids and parents don’t have sex ...

Age appropriate language, facts and hopefully questions will be raised at the right time ... my son started asking DH all about wet dreams when we were on our way by taxi to the airport ...

I think that sounds fine. And no he’s not going to want to go out and try it. It’s more than likely a bit grossed out but won’t think of it again for a long time.

I explained the science behind how babies are made (leaving out the details about sex) when mine was 3. I explained how it actually happened when she was 6, prompted by a display about reproduction in a museum. She said ‘that’s weird’ and that was it. She hasn’t asked about it since.

Pretty much from birth, if you count naming body parts when washing and changing nappies, and telling babies the story of how I grew them in my tummy.

Thanks! That's all very reassuring!! I never thought I'd freak out about this, but when the conversation actually happened I was totally struck by my uselessness in knowing what to do!! :)