Friday, January 22, 2010

How To Answer The Question “Where Do Babies Come From?


Apparently my explanation to my 4-year old daughter a few weeks ago didn’t resonate completely with her:

“My seed, otherwise know as ‘sperma’ or haploid with 23 chromosomes, and mommy’s egg, also with 23 chromosomes met in the mommy’s womb and formed a diploid cell and after it fertilized a zygote was formed, which is basically a baby, and now you’ll be a big sister in a few months. Now go clean your room, brush your teeth, be nice to mommy, and don’t forget to wash your hands after using the bathroom. I love you.”

Today my daughter told my wife how her baby brother got into her belly:

“You ate a baby seed and now you need to eat healthy food like pizza and blueberries to feed it.”

And then she went onto explain –

“Joe’s mommy’s both have veh-hina’s and was born from both of them at Target.”

And then continued with—

“Can we go see the Chipmunks Squeakquel again?”

To which I jumped in and answered –

“No!!”
One time was more than enough. I still can’t believe how bad that movie was…

Have your kids ever asked you the “Where do babies come from” question? If so, how did you answer?

21 comments:

SciFi Dad said...

We told her babies came from the place freedom and extra money go to die.

Actually we used the sperm/egg thing too.

painted maypole said...

oh, that movie did suck. can't talk my daughter into princess and the frog, but she wanted to see THAT piece of crap.

MQ has asked how babies get OUT

http://paintedmaypole.blogspot.com/2007/12/thats-silly.html

(cuz she understands they grow in the belly), but never explicitly where they come from.

ericdbolton said...

My 4YO knows they come from Mommy's tummy.. And keep coming from Mommy's tummy.. And keep coming from Mommy's tummy..

She says that when she grows up she's going to have a baby in her tummy.

We told her that it's not going to be until she's married.

It seemed to work.

OM said...

Your babies come from Target? Very upscale!

Dad Logic said...

I didn't know shopping at Target could get someone pregnant. Yikes!

Amrita said...

That 's very cute and logical too plus convinient - swallowing baby seeds is a good idea actually...and a whole new industry for the seed makers.You could get imported seeds too.

Megan said...

I'm sure if the babies were on sale at Target that day Joe's mommy's would have had twins.

Unknown said...

Your best. Post. Ever.

Sue Wilkey said...

Jamie Lyn Spears went and messed up my whole Love- marriage- babies explanation. Thanks, "Zoey".

Unknown said...

My son asked at around the same age. I answered completely honestly (but with abridged detail), figuring he would understand as much as he was ready to understand. Pro: I was right. He did. Con: He referred to my "baby hole" no less than four thousand times over the next week, usually in mixed company.

DGB said...

Unless it relates to the cars, trucks, buses or anything in the movie "Cars", my son will not ask about anything. Thankfully. That gives me about two years before my daughter gets old enough to start askin' questions.

And yes, Chipmunks did totally suck. A lot. Painfully.

cryitout! said...

Thankfully I haven't had to explain it yet, but I'm going to print this out just in case.

Gabriella said...

my 4 yr old asked and I really didn't give it much thought then to say babies come from heaven; an angel sends them to you. She bought it. But then asked how do they come out. I couldn't make up an answer for that so I told her the truth and she just laughed and laughed and told me I was so silly.

Julie said...

We bought her a very factual book called, It's Not the Stork.

WILLIAM said...

I explain it like this, when Mommy has a ittle too much wine and daddy had one too many Martinis and they forget to ummm...I need a Maritni.

Alli said...

At whyzz.com, the source for kid-friendly answers on how the world works, the birds and the bees are one of our most asked-about topics! With the help of qualified experts, we’ve come up with some advice and talking points aimed at the parents and guardians of kids 4-8:
http://whyzz.com/right-from-the-start-where-babies-come-from

ArtistUnplugged said...

Tell her that happens sometimes when you go to Disneyworld....

Work at Home said...

Sometimes it's nice to hear how kids wonder how about so many things. I love talking to them too.

Work at Home said...

My son is not asking me yet about that but if that time comes I really don't know what to say. Anyway, I enjoy reading your blog.

Basanta said...

Nice post! I am going through similar experience with my 3 years old daughter.

Melinda said...

Hello Creative Dad, it's 3 am in the morning so I am reading through your blog. I should have tuned in sooner! So many funny posts. Isn't being a parent a hoot? My daughter (currently 25, and a physicist) at age 5 came home and said she knew where babies came from. I listened and she explained carefully,"... that the daddy delivered a package in a special way to the mother." I said that was correct. There was nothing to add to that.
(My husband solved 'the boyfriend' dating thing early on. He just gets out his nail gun when any young thrusters come round. Seems to send a hidden message to them.)