Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Marlene,
    
    There are a lot of good books out to help.  Perhaps you could
    visit the childrens' section of your local library.  My sister
    dropped off a couple hundred (no exaggeration) books that her
    daughter outgrew for mine to use when she's ready and I noticed
    in the pile one entitled _How Did I Get Here?_  I glanced through
    it and it may be for children a little older than 3, but I'm
    sure there are some out there suitable for your daughter.  Good
    luck and CONGRATULATIONS!
    
    - Kathryn
    

    Tell her you have a special place in you where babies can grow.
    
    Tell her that you make a speical thing that is like a seed or a very
    tiny egg in your body that goes to the special place to grow.
    
    Tell her that the father gives the mother another speical seed to
    make your seed start growing.
    
    That is usually enough for a kid that age, but if she asks how the
    seed from the daddy gets in there you can reply that there is a special
    private place where you sit down where the seed goes in.
    
    I told my kids as early as 3 the simple facts about intercourse as
    far as it is involved with making a baby, but if that makes you
    uncomforatble, you can explain things quite well without it.
    
    Bonnie

    I agree with Bonnie.  Be truthful.  But only say what you need to. I
    remember saying something like "The baby grows in the mommy's tummy in
    a place called a womb."  Then how did it get there?  From a seed.  Oh. 
    How did the seed get there?  Daddy planted the seed.  Oh. It really
    wasn't until she was around 7 that she wanted to know the rest (other
    than how does the baby come out.  Through a special opening.)  At 7 I
    read you a book "How was I born."  I did skip over the intercourse part
    and when she was 8 and was asking what sex was I read the book to her
    and included that part.  -- I haven't seen the book since and she's
    13!!  But we do talk about sex openly now too!
    
    Good luck.  The most important thing is not to let the child know you
    are embarrassed if you are.  It gets easier, I think.
    
    

    
    
    
    Conversation between parent and child (aged 3-4 yrs)
    
    Child: How was I born?
    
    Parent: Well, daddy planted a seed in mommy's tummy and ... blah
    ..blah...blah.
    
    Child: Was my picture on the seed packet?
    
    
    
    

    The two books my pedi gave me for my husband's children (ages 8, 10,
    12, but she said we are far too late to start) are:
    
    "How Babies Are Made" by Andrew C. Andry and Steven Schepp
    	(lots of pictures, over simplified, big letters, and easy to read)
    
    "Where Do Babies Come From? A Book for Children and Their Parents"
    	by Margaret Sheffield (a bit more complicated, still simple
    	explanations and lots of pictures)

    Question from Steven while I was pregnant with David:
    
    "Mama, wouldn't it be easier to get the baby out if you had a
    zipper in your tummy?"
    
    --bonnie

re .6

Some OB/GYN might patent that....

WHen we told Andrew that there was a baby in Mummies tummy etc.... and to be
gentle with mummie, especially her "boobies" as they are getting milk in them
for the baby, he proudly said that he had a baby in his tummy too, and he had
Apple Juice in his boobies...

q

When I was about 7 months pregnant and looking at daycare centers, I was
looking in the kindergarten room during lunch.  

A little boy (yelling from across room): WHO ARE YOU?

Me: My name is Pat

Boy: WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Me: I'm looking at the daycare center.

Boy: WHY?

Me (innocently): To see if my baby would be happy here.

Boy: WHERE'S YOUR BABY?

Me (I have *everyone's* attention now): Inside my belly

Boy: HOW DID IT GET THERE?

Me (I'm in big trouble now.  Quick, quick, think of an innocuous, truthful 
answer): My husband put it there so it could grow.

The teacher intervened with examples of other mothers growing babies, thank 
god.  The kindergarten teacher still teases me about it.

    My kids are 7 and 9 and they are curious as ever.  So, we checked
    out, for free, a video, can't remember the name, from Blockbuster
    Video.  Probably called, "Where did I come from."  Anyway, their
    dad and I each sat on the couch with them and began to watch this
    video.  We had never seen this video and didn't know what to expect.
     We thought it'd be kinda cartoony and not real explicit.  Well,
    were we wrong.  This video is absolutely honest and very to the
    basic facts.  Now, the kids know what's really been going on when
    they've been told that Daddy tickled me last night and that's whyI was so
    loud.  We are more discreet now.                                 
    
    Oh well, this shouldn't be embarrassing, it's all very natural,
    but it's not the easiest thing to discuss with kids.  I guess Drugs
    and beer are next topics.  Like, why are you drinking beer, when our
    teacher says it is bad.  And around and around........

    My son, coming up three years old, floored me during a discussion on gender
    when he asked "Daddy - what's a Daddy ?".
                                            
    He got a biological explanation and a statement that a Daddy is a man
    that cares for him.  He preferred the second explanation !
    
    Greg.

    I borrowed the books from Kristen (.5) and Nicole (age 9) and I read
    them together while Lisa sat nearby.  She asked a few questions as we
    read the books.  I had us read both books as they presented the same
    information in slightly different ways and Nicole asked slightly
    different questions each time.  After we were finished we asked her if
    she had any other questions and told her that we were always willing to
    answer any questions she might have and that she shouldn't be afraid to
    ask us.
    
    One of the books mentioned the difference between girls and woman and
    boys and men.  She didn't ask when she would get breasts or hair, so we
    didn't talk about that or her period.  I figure we will wait a month or
    so and then talk about it.
    
    Bob