Saturday, March 19, 2005

The facts of life

I know a lot of parents hesitate to have "the talk" about sex with their kids out of embarrassment. In my case, the problem is more that I always wind up rolling on the floor laughing. Here's what happened yesterday.

My nine and a half year old, who's in fifth grade, came home from three days of "family life" curriculum with the idea that you can get AIDS from kissing someone. We had a discussion with her and discovered that she thought "sexual contact" meant kissing. (I've had "the talk" with her at least once before, but all the facts seem to have disappeared from her little brain.) So I gave her a basic review of the mechanics involved in sex. She looked at me with an expression of revolted horror.

"Do YOU do this?"

I admitted that I did.

She thought about it a few minutes longer, and the look of disgust on her face intensified. At last she demanded, "When I'm a grownup, do I HAVE to do this??"

*Snort* I really hope she keeps this attitude all the way through her teenage years. But I don't suppose I'll be so lucky!

3 comments:

  1. Hehehe! Dontcha love it! I had to explain sex to my son who was 9 at the time after he saw a report on the news about condoms. On the news. Not even one of those vile music video places! (KIDDING!) So, okay, this was years ago (he's 25) and you didn't hear about condoms in every day life so much as you do now. Sigh. I really don't even remember his reaction!

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  2. *snicker* Lordy, I'm NOT looking forward to this! Our oldest is only six, and she's still in the "I'm marrying my daddy" stage.

    The funniest sex talk I ever had with my Mom--I read Far Pavilions and had some questions about how guys might have sex together. Mom took me in the bathroom, put a towel over her head, and turned out the light. But she told me!

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  3. I've had the talk with the oldest girl (also in fifth grade). Now I just have to do it TWO more times. *laughing*
    She took it rather well. We ate lunch at a nice restaurant, and she was full of questions. Right now she thinks it's "gross." Oh, to put time in a bottle.
    Grins*

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