5 year asking about "where babies come from"

My five year old son has a friend, who's mother is pregnant. At a playdate earlier this week, the boy comes up to DS and says, "My mommy has a baby in her tummy and it's a girl."

Now, DS is asking all sorts of questions about HOW the baby got in her tummy and how do you MAKE a baby.

I want to answer him honestly but not overload him.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Mailman? Lmao!

Be very matter of fact. Sperm from a Mans body gets close to an egg from a woman's body. If he asks how again say a man and a woman have to lie down and the penis has to enter the vagina. Kids are smart and at that age its parents who get embarrassed. They feed off of us. I think it's better to be direct and not tell lies from the first time they ask.

Of course it gets more complicated as they get older! Do 2 people have to be married and love each other? This is what I want to tell my tween DDs but we all know this isn't true!

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

My older DS was always super inquisitive about babies and bodies and I was honest. I told him the basics. I didn't elaborate. He's had different follow up questions and has gotten more detail now that he's older. My younger DS is almost 6 and has never asked anything about it. My point is, each kid is different and you know how much or how little will satisfy your DC curiosity. I feel it's super important to be honest about it though.

5 year asking about

when I was pregnant I told my son that daddy put a seed in my belly and then the seed grew into a baby. he accepted that and didn't really ask more questions. he was more concerned how the baby was coming out! luckily i was having a c section so i told him the truth and said they cut her out of my belly.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Did you try the "How do YOU think it got there?" answer a question with a question approach?

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

DS is also 5 and also has asked (his godmother was pregnant).
We went for the metaphysical "when mommy and daddy love each other very much" approach

For now, i think it's enough. He does not need to know the details or the logistics just yet as he is still unaware of what sexuality is. As he gets older and starts asking more detailed questions, we'll give more concrete answers.

but i do agree, depends on the kid and what he/she is ready to hear.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Have you considered "What Makes a Baby" by Cory Silverberg?

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Mommy and daddy wanted a baby and God gave us a baby that grows in mommy's tummy. Keep it simple- the question was where babies come from, not how it it got there anyway.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

We told him that daddy had sperm that met mommy egg inside her.

Baby grew in the uterus & comes out of mommy vagina (near her pee pee). Yes, it hurts, but doctors will give me medicine.

DS was really bummed that he would never get pregnant.

I'm sure he told his whole class (he's in K). Figure if you don't tell them, some other kid (like mine) will.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Message edited 11/14/2015 9:24:51 PM.

5 year asking about

I agree with the above poster. Keep it simple and vague. No need for a child that young to have those details.

Message edited 11/15/2015 1:46:05 PM.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Sounds like I am in the minority. I still think we have to give credit to children of what they can understand. I think parents are the ones who have issues with being matter of fact and discussing this topic. When parents can't communicate kids are miseducated/learn from other kids when it should come from parents.

IMO this is the foundation of proper sex education. It can start when kids are ready to learn/ask questions.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Message edited 11/15/2015 10:08:27 PM.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

A friend just forwarded this to me and thought it was relevant to this topic...


'The Middle Wife'
by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back.
When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.
She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.'
She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!)'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe.

They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-centre, so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there in the first place.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat.

I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's Show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

I have a 6 year old DS and there is no way in hell I would tell him about the penis and the vagine!! no way jose...because the first thing he would do tomorrow morning would be to share this information with his other 6 year old classmates and while he and some of this friends might giggle about it I know he would have tons of questions that would go downhill.

He asked me when he was about 5 where babies come from I told him that God sends us babies and we feel so lucky and happy when God chooses to send us a baby and how happy i was when he was sent to us. The end...no penis...no vagina.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

I should probably clarify my OP so ya'll don't think I am nuts. What I meant was IF a child keeps asking and is VERY curious and a simple answer isn't satisfying them even at age 5 or 6 I don't see an issue with being honest in a matter of fact way.

I didn't mean that I think how babies are made HAS to be described with penis/vagina however I have children that were very persistent with how's and whys from an early age. Also, I am of the thinking that proper terms/vocabulary/body parts need to be used from an early age. Just my opinion from my education and experience.

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

I told my 5 year old that mommy & daddy wanted a baby & we were lucky enough that God put a baby in my belly & once the baby grew big enough the Dr took him out.

I also feel that 5-6yr old kids should not know that penises can even enter vaginas. Imagine if a childtried to see for themselves if this was true? oyyy

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

i tell my 5 DS that when two people fall in love, they make a baby and the baby grows in mommys belly until they are big enough to be born.

To then i get questioned,"how do the babies eat? does the food just fall down from the mommys mouth and the baby catches it all chewed up?"

5 year asking about

I do not think its appropriate to ever tell a 5 year old about a penis entering a vagina...we just say when a mommy and daddy want a baby one grows in the mommys tummy. My daughter thinks the doctor puts one there and thats fine by me too!

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

At 5 we said a mommy and daddy love each other and pray to God and God puts the baby there. When she asked how it comes out I was honest and said either through surgery or the mommy pushes the baby out through her vagina. 3 years later, she car home from school saying M told her what sex is.."when the penis goes up the vagina". I told her she was right and said they do this to make the baby. This year she learned about sex and periods!! I'm hoping we get another year of believing in Santa!!

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Re: 5 year asking about "where babies come from"

Posted by jodi714

A friend just forwarded this to me and thought it was relevant to this topic...


'The Middle Wife'
by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back.
When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.
She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.'
She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!)'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe.

They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-centre, so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there in the first place.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat.

I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's Show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.