Friday, July 18, 2008

The Birds and the Birds?

We spent a few hours at the beach last weekend. We live close to the Atlantic and after a day of packing for our move next weekend, we rewarded ourselves with a picnic dinner and boogie boards. As we walked down the sand toward the water to scope out a perfect spot "ocean side", I noticed two men making out on the towel next to us. Not just kissing, but really going at it. Now mind you, this in and of itself does not bother me in the least - yeah, yeah, I am one of the people who can truly say " some of my best friends are gay and mean it" and I was an HIV nurse for years - during the "it's only a gay disease" years. Anyway, I digress.....we have been very open with our kids in a general kind of way about the fact that while most girls marry boys, some boys can marry boys and some girls love and marry other girls........no judgement either way, just a matter of fact kind of conversation.

We use all the proper anatomical verbage (J once announced in the middle of a restaurant that she had a "bagina" and mommy said only she could touch it"). We do a regular "no touch zone" lesson. So, it struck me strange that neither of my older kids has ever asked *any* questions about the birds and the bees. You know, those questions that you are holding your breath thinking they are coming. We keep waiting for them to ask something, ..anything....where does the baby come from, how does it get in there.....but they were more interested in the boys kissing boys at the beach. I guess that is going to be our segway into a more formal discussion. So, I bought this book today. Anyone else read or used this? I'd love some advice.

3 comments:

huddtoo said...

No experience with the book. I've gone about it matter of factly. Although, it's not come up in ways where I have to go into great detail. The boy has not asked at all. The girl has. We, too, use proper names for body anatomy, but the boy still has trouble with his and it is still a "peanut" to him.

I also don't have any problems with gay couples, heck they aren't bothering my life in any way. Not so sure how I'd feel about a gay couple making out at the beach, but I'd feel the same way about a boy/girl couple too, if there are a lot of kids around, kissing is OK, but to go to town...save it for the room. Ya know. :)

Catherine said...

*peanut* - love it! I'll let you know how it goes here. Oh, and you're right - that couple needed to get a room - gay or straight!

Victoria said...

LOL! I *just* ordered this after having a little chat with my Girlie about her uterus (uuuuerus, as she calls it) and telling hubs that he needs to have some of The Talk with the Boy.

Eeek.