a website to help parents talk with their children about potentially sensitive topics:
Birth, Death, and Fantastical Beings
Have your children ever asked questions about how babies are made or where babies come from?
Survey Results: Birth & Sexual Practices
Of the parents who answered this question, results showed:
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90% said "Yes"
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10% said "No"
The results reported on the graphs were rounded up to be whole numbers, therefore the percentages are not equal to an exact 100%.
How confident are you in discussing sexual practices with your child?
(1 = not confident, 5 = very confident)
What did parents say to their children about where babies come from?
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“We have said they are a gift from God.”
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“I tell them babies are made from love and they know how they are born.”
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“When you get married and fall in love, mommies and daddies create babies.”
How confident are you in sharing information about birth that is appropraite for your child's age?
(1 = not confident, 5 = very confident)
Some parents explained that the mommy and daddy loved each other so much that a baby was created or that the baby was sent to them.
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“We haven’t had to talk about how they are made, but I’ve explained that mommies make babies in their bellies and they come out when they are all finished being made.”
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“My son is aware that a baby comes from Mommy's tummy. When he asked where they come out I would pose the same question to him and let him tell me his thoughts.”
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“I told him that he was a little egg in me and then a little seed from daddy. When the two joined together they made him and he started growing... until he was ready to come out.”
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“In a basic and straightforward manner, leaving the emotions of sex out. I found a book, and we read it together. I answered any questions they had.”
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“We just explained it! No need to sugarcoat it.”
Other parents described the situation as a child growing inside the mommy’s tummy but didn’t explain more than that.
Most parents taught their children the biology in
a straightforward manner, talking about the sperm and egg or using books to show anatomy.