How to Explain the Reproductive System to Children

Teaching children about the birds and the bees is not a task that most parents look forward to. The reproductive system is very complicated, even for many adults. With a little planning and sensitivity, children can be taught the basics of the reproductive system without being overwhelmed or frightened.

Instructions

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      Be prepared at any time to have this talk with your child. It is far better to be the one to teach your child than to have him learn in the schoolyard from other children. Other children may teach him incorrectly, which will only make it more difficult for you to reteach.

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      Look for a teachable moment. There will be moments when your child is curious and you can use that to your advantage to teach her. It will make it less awkward for both you and your child. Be ready to tell your children as much as they need to know and still be age appropriate. Let them lead you to how much they need to know. If they seem disgusted or uninterested, that is a good time to stop and let them have time to absorb the information. They will come back to you when ready.

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      Tell the truth. Decide what words you want to use for specific body parts if you feel that they are not old enough to say the real words, like vagina and penis. Other than that, do not "dumb" it down. Children are smart enough to handle the actual information. Explain both the woman's system and the man's. Taking into account the age, you can get as detailed as they need. A simple explanation that is appropriate for most elementary age children is, "When a man and woman get married and fall in love, the man puts his penis in the woman's vagina. Sperm travels out of the man into the woman's uterus where it meets the egg. If the sperm meets an egg, than the woman will have a baby in nine months."

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      Decide ahead of time what moral and/or ethical values you want to instill as well. If you are going to teach them not to have premarital sex, for instance, you will want to explain the reproductive system in the context of a married man and woman.

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      Answer their questions. The more open and willing to talk you are, the less taboo the subject becomes for your children. As they get older, the more willing they will be to talk to you about questions instead of going to the wrong sources. Be available for them to talk to and they will come to you instead.

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