7 year old asking how babies are made

[KivaNicep]

So this has probably been asked before, but I could use some advice.

My 7-year-old DD is super inquisitive and asks a lot of questions (which I love!), but I’m stumped on this one. Over the past couple of years she’s asked how babies are made. I’ve managed with the “daddy puts a seed in mummy and mummy grows the baby” explanation, and that’s worked… until now.

She’s recently started asking how (specifically!!) the seed actually gets into mummy, and I’m not sure what to say! I definitely want to be honest with her when she’s older, but for now I’m wondering if there’s a gentler, age-appropriate way to put it for a 7-year-old.

Has anyone else had this question at this age, and how did you handle it?

My four year old knows that the seeds are in the man's testicles and they travel down the penis into the woman's vagina and swim to find the egg.

My seven year old also asked. I said it’s a special sort of cuddle that only grown ups can do, interested to hear what others have said.

Honestly, just tell the truth, in as few a words as possible.

This might help: www.sexualwellbeing.ie/for-parents/making-the-big-talk-many-small-talks-for-parents-of-8-12-year-olds.pdf

Just state the facts.

Just be honest, if she's old enough to ask she's old enough to know.

I told my 6 and 8 year olds the truth in a basic way, the penis goes into the vagina and a seed meets an egg inside mummy. They were curious as I’m pregnant. They think it’s disgusting!

This book is good. https://amzn.eu/d/g5KPPA6

Many years ago my friend daughter asked my friend at a similar age. She gave her a fairly simple run down of the mechanics of it. Her daughter’s response…

O
M
G
!!!!
Thats DISGUSTING!!! 🤣🤣🤣

she’s in her 20’s now with a partner so doesn’t seem to be scarred for life 😆

Absolutely tell the truth. My kids definitely knew much earlier than 7. I answers honestly with minimal information and gave more when they asked.

I was told the special cuddle story and I remember being confused by that. Thought I’d get pregnant from hugs. Don’t do that to your kid. Also know someone who thought it can only happen once you are married right into their teen years.

I once cared for a kid about that age who’s parents wouldn’t have a serious conversation about what is appropriate and he was playing with himself and trying to get other children to touch it as it felt good. He had no idea it was inappropriate. That family was referred to social services and the poor kid got a reputation at school which could have been avoided had his parents not been to scared to “shatter his innocence”.

it’s not ruining a child’s innocence to teach them about their bodies and how they came to be. It’s also important they know so they know what is inappropriate to protect themselves and others.

A book called where Willy went

I told my daughter exactly how when she was 5, she looked at me and said “so your bottom had to touch daddy’s bottom?” and she didn’t stop laughing for about 5 mins. Hasn’t mentioned it since and she’s almost 6 now.

We have always used the correct names for body parts and so I just said that the penis goes inside the vagina and the seed comes out, and if there is an egg ready then they grow in to a baby.

We have several books too but not needed them yet so they are on hand for next time it comes up.

If you find it difficult to say @KivaNicep then use a book and have the conversation in the car. Somehow that is easier!

This. Factual and simple.

I am a supporter of age appropriate honest explanations, but it did upset some school parents when my ds liked to share all his new found knowledge with his friends 🙈.

I’ve always explained as fully as I can, my 11 year old still comes to me and asks questions about periods, erections, relationships! I’m so pleased he does. I think it’s because we’ve always been open and honest with him, and never treated his question asking as an issue.

Some of the mums at school still haven’t told their 10 year olds about sex, and clutched their pearls when the sex ex letter went around.

1 in 10 kids in the UK have seen porn by the age of 9, waiting too late does them no favours.

Just tell her. I knew the ins and outs around 5. My mum gave me this book that I then gave my DS when he started asking. I took it all very matter of factly. The younger you have these conversations the better. Young children take it all in their stride and it doesn’t faze them like if you leave it until their are older when complex emotions and preconceptions come into play. It’s better to be open and honest about such things.

https://wearethemutants.com/2020/01/22/the-love-bug-how-a-baby-is-made-1971/

Sex.

It’s for reproduction and it’s for fun. You can only do it when you are an adult. If two grown ups want a baby they have sex. It’s a private thing when you love somebody. It’s a loving thing where adults touch each other and get close together. When a man and a woman have sex the man’s penis goes inside the woman’s vagina, which feels nice for both grown ups. This is how sperm gets from the testicles in the man, to meet an egg inside the woman. You need both a sperm and an egg to start to grow a baby. That’s how every child is half Daddy and half Mummy. The baby takes nine months to grow bigger inside their mother’s womb. That’s called being pregnant. You can sometimes tell when a woman is pregnant as she looks bigger in the middle and has a baby bump. When the baby is big enough, they will come out of the vagina, and that’s called being born. They are a lot bigger when they come out, so it can be hard work for the Mummy. It can take a long time for the Mummy to help the baby to be born, sometimes hours or even a day. Every person who has ever been born has been grown inside a Mummy. Including you. And everyone is half one parent and half the other, but always all themselves too.

Mummy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole is great

My 5yo asked me this a couple of weeks ago.

Up to that point, she'd been satisfied with "Mummy has an egg and Daddy has a sperm, they meet together and make a baby." But this time she was serious and wanted to know where the sperm came from and how it got to the egg, and how the baby got out.

So I told her. We have a book called "Where do babies come from?" Which helped.

Then she turned to my husband and said, "Did you really do THAT to Mummy? That's disgusting. I can't believe I came from a PENIS."

I said, 'Well you didn't, only half of the instructions for making you came from the penis."

And she said, "Well I didn't want to have anything to do with a penis!"

Then she laughed her head off and hasn't mentioned it since.

this is what i was coming to recommend
Where Willy Went

Thank you so much for all the responses! The links are books are very helpful. She has not asked again yet but when she does I will be prepared!!

There must be loads of age appropriate books about it?

I'd just try and be honest. 'A man puts his penis in a woman's vagina and stuff comes out called sperm. That mixes with an egg inside the woman's belly and it can grow into a baby.'

Yup. Penis in vagina. Seed comes out and joins egg.

If parents don't tell them, another child at school will. Use animal terms if you're embarrassed. Mating.