This is the next entry in the Thursday blog project. We are talking about sex baby. Specifically the topic is sexuality, and we get to talk about what ever you want.
Just the other day, while driving home from some activity or another, Mac asked me if he could watch me and his father have sex. It stems from an on-going family joke where Hannah wants to watch us make her a baby sister.
She has been asking for a baby sister for about a year. Finally to get her to shut up about it Bob and I agreed to try and make her a baby sister. Since Bob has had the procedure of eternal happiness, success on the baby sister front is unlikely. After about two months of no results, Hannah suggests that she should watch us try and make a baby sister so that she can 1) confirm that we are really trying and 2) that we are doing it right. I assure her that the answers are yes we are trying and yes we are doing it right.
But anyway, Mac said he would like to also watch. Now clearly this is not appropriate for him to do, and is not going to happen, it does raise an interesting question. Until now, we have taught our kids most of the life skills that they need. We teach them about how to use the potty, how to care for their bodies, how to interact with other people, etc. But we do not embrace teaching our children about sexuality the way that we do using the toilet, shaving or using deodorant.
While I don't plan to let Mac watch his father and I have sex, it does make me think that as a society we don't teach our kids enough about this import part of their lives. We leave it to the kids to figure out on their own and in many cases they figure it out wrong. It seems wrong to me that we spend more time teaching our kids how to use the toilet than we do teaching them about sexuality.
Our puritanical roots make us uncomfortable discussing sex with our kids. I want my children to understand that sex is something the are all going to experience at some point in their lives. I want them to feel comfortable in their own sexuality and be able to ask questions. The reality is that we are all sexual beings, and I want my children to embrace this aspect of themselves in a way that is healthy. How is that going to happen if I don't teach them?
Want to see what everyone else has to say about sex?? I am sure you do.. Check them out at Froggie, Merrylandgirl and Momarock.
Just the other day, while driving home from some activity or another, Mac asked me if he could watch me and his father have sex. It stems from an on-going family joke where Hannah wants to watch us make her a baby sister.
She has been asking for a baby sister for about a year. Finally to get her to shut up about it Bob and I agreed to try and make her a baby sister. Since Bob has had the procedure of eternal happiness, success on the baby sister front is unlikely. After about two months of no results, Hannah suggests that she should watch us try and make a baby sister so that she can 1) confirm that we are really trying and 2) that we are doing it right. I assure her that the answers are yes we are trying and yes we are doing it right.
But anyway, Mac said he would like to also watch. Now clearly this is not appropriate for him to do, and is not going to happen, it does raise an interesting question. Until now, we have taught our kids most of the life skills that they need. We teach them about how to use the potty, how to care for their bodies, how to interact with other people, etc. But we do not embrace teaching our children about sexuality the way that we do using the toilet, shaving or using deodorant.
While I don't plan to let Mac watch his father and I have sex, it does make me think that as a society we don't teach our kids enough about this import part of their lives. We leave it to the kids to figure out on their own and in many cases they figure it out wrong. It seems wrong to me that we spend more time teaching our kids how to use the toilet than we do teaching them about sexuality.
Our puritanical roots make us uncomfortable discussing sex with our kids. I want my children to understand that sex is something the are all going to experience at some point in their lives. I want them to feel comfortable in their own sexuality and be able to ask questions. The reality is that we are all sexual beings, and I want my children to embrace this aspect of themselves in a way that is healthy. How is that going to happen if I don't teach them?
Want to see what everyone else has to say about sex?? I am sure you do.. Check them out at Froggie, Merrylandgirl and Momarock.
I wrote about this a while ago on Empowering Parents: http://www.empoweringparents.com/blog/health-nutrition-safety/teaching-kids-about-the-birds-and-the-bees/#more-3363
ReplyDeleteI never felt comfortable discussing anything sex related with my parents so I commend you on at least trying to be open about it without letting them into the bedroom. :)
I really like this... and it's so true! It's the one area where it's practically taboo to talk about with your children.
ReplyDelete