The Talk

So folks...to the parents out there....do you really think that by NOT talking to your child about something that somehow they will not be exposed to it?  If you don't talk to them about puberty and sex that somehow their adrenal glands will just stop working?  

I had the talk with my son a bit more than a year ago, the summer before he went into fourth grade.  He was starting to hear different things, to pick up phrases and words he wanted to know the meanings of....between the school bus, the playground and the television they are simply going to hear all about this "reality" we'd like to hide from them.  I went with a preemptive strike against the mis-information out there.  He may very well have been the first kid in his class to hear the facts right from a parent, but at least he's got the FACTS and not the myths and guesses most kids are working with.  Yeah...I squirm!  I'd really like to just change the subject when a question comes up!  But nobody said being a parent was going to be comfortable and easy so he'll get real answers to his questions.  And honestly, it does get easier as you go along.  It's US who have the hang ups....they don't have any yet....not until we give them some.  

So do you really believe that they'll stay young and innocent if you just don't tell them about it?  Hmmmm.....I wonder how that's going to work out.... I'm sure the rest of the world will respect your decision to stunt the child's growth and not expose them to anything.....unseemly.....