Saturday, September 06, 2008

It's Time

***Warning: Parental Discretion Advised***

Yesterday Halle came in and asked me about pregnancy. She asked how the baby got inside the mommy. Now, I've always been fairly open with my kids about this subject so that when the time came to explain it "all" it wouldn't be such a big deal. So I told her it takes a mom and a dad and reminded her that the dad has sperm, the mom has the egg and then when they get together it fertilizes the egg and the egg grows into a baby. Up until yesterday this has been plenty of info. My kids never question anything beyond that and I've been comfortable with them knowing the facts without really KNOWING the facts.

After I reminded her about the stuff she already knew, she said, "I know. But HOW does the sperm get the egg? Cause you lay the egg inside your body. (I guess she thinks women are somewhat like chickens.) How can the sperm get inside?" OH DEAR!!! I started sweating. I always thought I would be the calm collected parent and not have any problem just talking about the facts of life. But my heavens, she's 7!!! (And I have a feeling Alyssa and Bailey somewhat dared her to come ask because they hid in the basement and as soon as the conversation was over, Halle high-tailed it downstairs.)

Anyway, I tried to just be cool and went ahead and told her the facts. Nothing more, nothing less. After which she looked me straight in the eye and said, "Oh. That's gross!" And then walked out.

It took everything in me not to laugh. It was so funny! But now my sweet baby knows a little more about life. I hate that they have to grow up, but such is life.

18 comments:

"The Queen in Residence" said...

E- I am so scared to have this talk with my daughter. She is 10 and we still have not had "the talk" yet but sorda have and it will happen in school this year and I am so not ready for that one to happen.
I just chuckle that the girls put her up to it and her comment is precious. I think that is what I was thinking when I finally was told how it happened. Too cute and yet scary too, where did the babies go......

Lee Ann said...

Good job! I don't envy you. Somehow I have it in my mind that we'll sit down and have this conversation, the way my mom did, with the James Dobson book in hand. But....I guess I'd better be ready for anything. And from a little girls mind, it is just absolutly disgusting! I think Baileys mom got off easy :-)

Unknown said...

OH BOY!! My daughter is ten and I still have not had the talk yet...UGH!! I did get her a most awesome book called "The Body Book for Girls" (Walmart carries it) It is actually an American Girls book, but it explains EVERYTHING that they will go through with their body, I was kinda hoping it would touch on the baby thing, but it doesn't. Still, a good book and so much information for all the things that will be up ahead!

Miki said...

S.Q.I.R.M.I.N.G. in MY S.E.A.T......ughhhhh! I don't want to do it...I don't want to do it. I don't even want to know that other parents have to do it (have "the talk" that is...).

Immature? no. Modest? YES!!! YES, YES, YES!!! Even when I was three, my mother tried to "let" me run around in the sprinklers naked. NO, NO, NO!!! My older sister and younger brother did....not me. Not me.

sigh...oh Elena, what the heck am I going to do? I would let you come over and tell my kids, but I would just rather pretend it didn't happen at all.

I know...you're thinking, "what in the heck are you going to do?" Or maybe you're thinking, "how in the heck did you even get pregnant yourself?"

Is this comment supposed to be "G" rated? We gave fair warning, right? Anyway, good thing Mark is quite comfortable, and the perfect manly match for me, as he jokes continually about "the matter".

Maybe he can give "the talk"?

P.S. I found a perfect use for my perfect picture...hooray...

stevie kay said...

Rolling in my seat laughing! I honestly think it's easier when they're younger. I remember my mom putting it off until I was eleven or twelve and by that point, I knew all about sex and the last person I wanted to hear it from was my mom! At least she learned about it from her family and not from friends!

Mama Williams said...

Good for you for talking straight with her. I hope you spoke with Alyssa later. You know sisters, they share everything, but who know how accurate Halle's details will be.
I have already been thru that one. Sat all 3 kids down. It was actually quite nice. But just wait til the period talk. Ugh! That one was harder. See what I mean, they grow up way too fast!

Deanna said...

WOW! Little Hallie? Asked you THAT? Sounds like you did wonderful...I envy Hallie, in a way, becasue by the time my mom thought I needed the talk, it was WAAAAY too embarrassing!!!

BTW - how much do you charge to teach that - could I hire you in like six or seven years? :) I'd like to think I can do it, but I'm TOTALLY not ready for that - or even think about teaching my boys that!!! :)

Camille said...

Oh, NO! That's my worse nightmare right now! I guess that's where life on a ranch could come in real handy. Yeah, I think that's exactly what we'll do. We'll just make sure and keep real close to our ranching friends!

Emily said...

Oh dear.

I hate stuff like this. I dread this day. My kids always ask about tampons and I always escape the question somehow.

Oh dear!

I guess I will leave telling the boys up to the boy himself. Hopefully he will be in town that day!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

I have blogged about these moments with Madalyn. Her older sister saying "gross, gross, gross." But Madalyn asking "so...how does that feel?" And it's become a game now. She asks on a daily basis. Her latest question is "what happens if it gets stuck?" UGHHHH...

Natalie and Quin said...

This is Great!!! Now that your kids know all about life, I will never have to have this talk with my future ones. They can just find out from their cousins. Natalie would pay money to watch her say "Oh. That's gross". hahahahaha

Brenda said...

My daughter is 9 and is asking, and I kinda keep putting her off! I am afraid of the "OH, THAT'S GROSS!!" comment! I am jealous you are done, and I hopefully soon I can be a big girl and have a little chat with my little lady!!!

Anonymous said...

These comments are too funny. I'm enjoying them as much as the blog. I have no comments, this from the woman who was raised by a mother who couldn't even say the word "pregnant". It had to be PG, such as, "She's PG."

Jennifer P. said...

I've heard that 7-8 is the perfect age to talk to kids about "that"--when they're old enough to understand, but not too old to already have too much friend-passed information about it. Yeah. Zane's 10 and I still haven't managed to do anything but change the subject. He still thinks "sex" refers to being male or female. Sigh. I guess if you can do it--so can I.

Poor Halle :)!

LouandAngela said...

Oh my. . .so fun to read your blog and then all the comments! You are great! I bought a little human body book about a year ago and it teaches about the sperm and the egg, so Gehrig has that part down okay. He's not that curious about how they get together, but he sure does wonder how the baby gets out! He asks me that all the time. In fact, just yesterday, he asked my why he never got to see the baby come out of me. Ha! Yeah, I'm thinking I'll turn this one over to Lou--at least for the boys!

Right now, my boys think kissing means you're married--french kissing is kissing on the lips (where did they even hear that expression?--school!) and they think it's all gross! Yippee!! :)

Elise said...

I LOVE this story-- it's so perfect that you just told her the truth, but didn't make it into this huge deal. I get really panicky when I think about telling Thomas, but I think you handled it so well. Have I told you the "hole" story? (Not blog appropriate, but funny...)

Anyway, my day of reckoning is coming and I hope I'm as composed as you were!

Jonathan & Rachel said...

I love it!! We've just had a similar talk about it with Ally already...better earlier before they know it might be a source of embarassment!! Way to go!

Camille said...

Biggest fear of my life, second only to my own honeymoon. I will have to share with you the story of when Kaylee asked me how the baby gets out of the mom's tummy and then decided NEVER to have children. Kids are smart! I've tried to take your same approach as best I can, but heavens! I have a hard time getting some words out of my mouth and I too need a shower from all perspiring that goes on!