@and_peggy, wasn't directed at you. Just saying anatomy at an age appropriate level, is appropriate, regardless of a child's sex. All how its delivered 🙂
@starkette I’m definitely going to check out your book recommendations. I was raised in a strict Catholic home and was told nothing until I was quizzed/then teased on the bus about my lack of knowledge at age 6 or 7 by a girl in the grade above me. I want to avoid that with my son.
@lmaplejc same! I was raised in a super high demand religious household and my mom told me nothing about my body or sex. She left a book on my bed when I was around 12 but it was also religiously skewed and didn't help much. I had to forge her signature on my school permission slip so I could attend the sex ed class in 7th grade. I'm a rebel. So now I'm determined to do things differently with my daughters. No shaming and plenty of conversations about our bodies and how awesome they are.
@starkette I love that you’re a rebel! The shame around bodies and sex that I grew up with was super traumatizing. I definitely don’t want to repeat that with my kids.
@starkette my mom was raised in a super religious home and while she married outside of her religion, her religious views led me to being raised very ignorant about sex. I remember being embarrassed when peers would use terms that I wasn't at all familiar with & my parents wouldn't enlighten me on. Thankfully my mom didn't have an issue with me attending sex education - she just didn't really want to teach me about it herself.
I haven’t seen this as much as I wish I had growing up, but I want to be honest about what happens, and anatomically correct at the proper age level. I’m a Christian, and don’t want that to be an excuse to be uncomfortable sharing normal body functions. I never had the talk, so I had to find out some things through other sources and piecing things together as a young teen. I’d like things to be an open topic, but one to not be discussed with most people-Just Parents & Doctors. When we asked where babies came from as kids, my mom said “There’s a special place down where mommy pees, that the baby comes out.” Although I would rather use anatomical terms, I remember feeling like the answer satisfied my curiosity, but didn’t scare me. I felt like it was nothing to worry about till I was a mommy.
With my daughter, I’ve essentially answered whatever she asked, and so far it’s worked. She asked “where do babies come from” at a fairly early age (3) and I said “they grow in the mommy’s uterus” and then showed her a picture of what that was (we have the Robie Harris books) and that was enough. She didn’t start asking about the “how do they grow” part until 5, and I talked about the sperm and the egg, and she didn’t ask how they “meet”. Basically I take it as far as I need to and if she’s satisfied I stop talking. Frankly I’m expecting her to have more questions once I tell her I am pregnant because of her age and the fact that it will be on her mind, so I bought two books already because that’s my solution to everything! My plan with all of this stuff is, if she’s ready to really ask the question, I need to be ready to answer it. And given her age around having a new sibling, it might cause her to ask questions other almost 6 year olds haven’t asked yet. So she might be the one telling other kids on the bus and I’ll have to get over that! Everyone has that school bus experience, right? That’s how I leaned the F word!
@buffythevampireslayer sounds like we have very similar parenting styles when it comes to this topic! And similar daughters to ask the same type of questions. I was surprised she didn't ask for more details this time. She's 8. So her current knowledge must be enough for her. She did ask A LOT when I pregnant with her sister. She was 4, very close to 5, and wanted to know how she was born, how her sister would be born (we knew a c-section was necessary because I had vasa previa), and how did I get pregnant anyways? I redirected her from that last question and she seemed satisfied. She was a little worried about me having surgery but I assured her I'd be numb and given medicine that helps keep me calm. Since I wasn't scared, she calmed down about it.
@starkette@buffythevampireslayer Sounds like you guys have similar children who are satisfied with your answers. My kids don't stop with the relevant follow up questions, and the only way I've been able to stop short of explaining things I don't want to explain is by claiming legitimate lack of knowledge.
My mom was adamant about correct anatomy language growing up and it never bothered me and that's what I plan to do as well.
Maybe uo, I'm not stopping myself from having a cold sandwiches when I want one, I'm more likely to get listeria from bagged salad than the sandwich shop I've been to 100 times
@ambelance I was reading the nutrition guidance from my OB and they don’t even say not to eat lunchmeat anymore. They just say it is safe from reputable sources. So I totally agree!
My UO, I feel like is going to be extremely unpopular, is that I think Disney is overhyped. I do love Disney movies and grew up a Disney kid, but I'm finding more than ever adults are way more obsessed with Disney than kids. Like everything has to be Disney themed, taking annual vacations to Disney (without kids), making personalized Disney things... It's over the top and over done.
I say this, meanwhile, I watched Encanto over the weekend and did the Encanto ride through Peloton yesterday. I just don't get the constant obsession with Disney though.
@fromfurmomtobabymom8-2. I agree, I like Disney, I like Disneyland, but I have a friend who is absolutely obsessed and I don't get it. Literally spending thousands of dollars a year on Disney merch and trips. I mean, it's your money spend it how you want, but yeah
@ambelance and @fromfurmomtobabymom8-2 I've only ever been to Disney as an adult, both times with adult friends. Once was the food and wine festival, the other was to babysit while they went out to dinner for their anniversary. I like Disney, but I really don't get the obsession either.
I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with Disney, but I do enjoy going and have only ever been as an adult (and never with kids). My husband and I have been like 4 times. Twice for food & wine festival, once at Christmas, and one other time. Then, I went once all by myself when I was in Orlando for a conference. I stayed 3 extra days for Disney. We have discussed trying to squeeze in one last kid-free trip before the baby comes but I’m not sure we’ll be able to swing it before it gets too hot, we refuse to go in the summer.
I really enjoy Disney. I wouldn't say I'm obsessed but I do really like it. If I had more money I'd probably be obsessed lol. I got so much joy out of seeing my kids at Disney. It's special to me to know I did that for them. I have been 4 times. Once as an adult with my mom and sister, once with my H when we were just dating, once for a work conference, and then last May with the kids. I like planning trips too, not just Disney. If I keep going I'm going to seem obsessed 🤣🤣
I don't think any of that sounds obsessed to anyone that's responded. And you all get a pass on the wine and food festivals, because I have heard amazing things about that!
My sister and I used to do our vacation every year to Disney World. It started because we were both relatively poor and my cousin worked there. So we would split the gas, stay with her for free and go to the parks for free. We paid for food the whole week. Until Covid, MH and I would go once or twice a year and take the kids to either Disneyland or Disney World. But all of the changes recently and the huge price hikes, all with less experience because of Covid, really hits me the wrong way. Unfortunately, as a family of soon-to-be-6, Disney is out of our budget for the next little while.
However, the good news is that with all of the changes with Covid, my sister has actually discovered I had a reason for loving to check out National Parks and we’ve been road tripping to National Parks together instead.
Disney is way better with kids, imo. Since we lived in CA, MH and I would do Disney about once a year before we moved to Idaho. We did it three times with our oldest who was 4 months, 3 years, and 4 years old. We planned to go again Sept 2020 but, um, the pandemic happened. So sad we had to cancel. But now we are planning on doing Disneyworld in 2024 when our oldest is 10, our (soon to be) middle will be 5, and youngest (the baby currently growing) will be 2. Saving up now! However, we are definitely not obsessed. I own zero Disney merch, don't have a favorite princess, and couldn't care less about pins. BUT, seeing the magic through the eyes of my kids is just so wonderful. And the parks know how to handle crowds, plus the food has gotten phenomenal.
@mdfarmchick we live near Yellowstone and yet we haven't gone! I've been before, but not since actually living nearby. We visited as a family when I was in high school. If this pregnancy goes well, we plan to go this May because apparently that's when all the baby animals come out.
I have actually never been to Disney world and am looking forward to giving it a shot at some point with kids. I feel like I am missing out on some big cultural experience! I do think it’s weird when it is like the only thing that people do though.
My husband and I did take my daughter to Great Wolf Lodge one spring break after a particularly hard time (his mother passed away) and we had a really good time and it gave us an appreciation of trips to a place that totally caters to kids. It made it so much easier for us to relax and enjoy ourselves even though an indoor water park is definitely not for adults. I hope that Disney feels a little bit like that when we eventually go!
@starkette we did Yellowstone and the Tetons last spring in May and it was amazing. Then we spent July in Olympic National Park and I fell in love but that’s a different story. The corner of Idaho between the Tetons and Yellowstone is legit one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been. Potato country, I’m told. But growing up on a farm, I loved all the farms we saw.
Re: UO 1/27
@cas060 what kind of doll is this?
@starkette I love that you’re a rebel! The shame around bodies and sex that I grew up with was super traumatizing. I definitely don’t want to repeat that with my kids.
Maybe uo, I'm not stopping myself from having a cold sandwiches when I want one, I'm more likely to get listeria from bagged salad than the sandwich shop I've been to 100 times
I say this, meanwhile, I watched Encanto over the weekend and did the Encanto ride through Peloton yesterday. I just don't get the constant obsession with Disney though.
@mdfarmchick we live near Yellowstone and yet we haven't gone! I've been before, but not since actually living nearby. We visited as a family when I was in high school. If this pregnancy goes well, we plan to go this May because apparently that's when all the baby animals come out.
My husband and I did take my daughter to Great Wolf Lodge one spring break after a particularly hard time (his mother passed away) and we had a really good time and it gave us an appreciation of trips to a place that totally caters to kids. It made it so much easier for us to relax and enjoy ourselves even though an indoor water park is definitely not for adults. I hope that Disney feels a little bit like that when we eventually go!