Conversations with Kids about Genitalia

[mamajoan]

(Originally posted on Facebook Feb 1st, 2010. Posted here April 1st, 2014; backdated.)

In the car on the way home tonight, out of the clear blue sky Isaac says: "Mama, how does a man put out sperm?"

me, thinking frantically "oh crap, I haven't gotten to this chapter in the parenting manual yet!" replied: "Uh, well, it comes out of his penis."
Isaac, not to be put off by such a blatant cop-out: "Yeah, but how does it come out?"
Me: (babbles something about testicles and when a man gets to be a grownup he can touch his penis in a certain way and then the sperm comes out. OY)
Isaac: "Oh."
Ruthie: "Does Uncle B. have a penis?"
Me: "Well, he's a man, so yes. And so does Cousin B."
Ruthie: (names a bunch of her preschool classmates who are boys)
Me: (acknowledges that all of the above have penises)
Ruthie: "Do you know who else is a boy?"
Me: "Grover." [our cat]
Ruthie: "Yeah, but Grover has a vulva anyway."
Me: "Uh no, Grover has a penis. We just can't see it with all his fur."
Isaac: "You can tell by looking at a dog."
Me: "That's right, if you look at a dog you can see if it has a penis."
Isaac: "Okay, let's stop talking about our privates now."
Me: "Well, we can stop. Or we can keep talking about it if we want to. If you have any other questions, you can ask them."

(thoughtful pause)

Ruthie: "How come some toilets flush all by themselves?"

Comments

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

Leave it to Ruthie to ask the IMPORTANT question.