It’s Spring.
Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and the grass is growing all around.
In other news, if you live on a farm, things are hatching, foaling, calving and kidding.
All the babies on the farm are precious, particularly newborn piglets. They are so teeny-tiny up next to their great-BIG-momma. They make me want to do this
but then the loud, intimidating blow-snort from the gigantic-crush-your-bones-like -a-Scooby snack- momma snaps me right back to reality as I view them from afar.
Spring also ushers in a certain level of farm friskiness. The animals sense it and are all up in each other’s business. The simplicity of nature and the life lessons that present themselves are endless on the farm.
Case and point.
One evening recently after our nightly family devotion and prayer,just as the hub and I were leaning in for the bedtime hug and kiss for our oldest the sweet sentiment was brought to an abrupt halt.
Calm, cool and collected with his hands behind his head,
“Hey Momma, I saw the pigs hatch today.”
Insert the emojicon with the big eyes
as I glared across our son’s bed at my baby daddy.
My big eyes cuing the hub to jump in and respond to our son’s declaration.
Giving him the, YOU’RE ON DAD look..
Crickets.
Not a sound from either of them.
Just awkward-somebody-needs-to-say-something-silence.
“Is that right? You saw the pigs hatch? Huh.”
Still glaring across at my dear, sweet, precious husband who had apparently lost his ability to speak.
“How much of ‘the hatching’ did you see son?”
“All of it Momma. I saw all of it.”
“Is that right? All of it. Huh.”
Still- not so much as a word from the man standing directly across from me-the father of the child speaking to me.
“Tell me son, what exactly did you see when you say you saw the pigs hatch?”
“Well, Momma, I saw where they come out.”
“Huh.”
Still not a-single-word from the man in the room.
“So Momma, is that where babies come from? Is that what happened to me?”
Annd there it was. Just like that. The question I saw coming like a freight train down the track.
And now… the moment of truth ….the moment that someone was going to need to answer and since the man who had fathered the precious child in the room had gone mute and was apparently unable to SPEAK ….what else is a mom to do but to answer the inquisitive child that for-the-LOVE can we please just say, sweet dreams, goodnight, I love you ?!
“Umm, yes son. Yes it is. That is what happened to you BUT here’s the thing. That’s our family-farm-secret and that kind of news might scare people who don’t live on a farm so let’s just keep this lil talk between us for now, okay?”
“Ok.”
Whew.
Good talk.
Good stuff.
Right there at bedtime. Just me, our boy and the muted-not-so-much-as-a-breath, baby daddy.
Good talk.
And so it begins …the next phase of parenthood.
This should be a blast.
PS-I’d love to hear your awkward-so-this-conversation-is happening now story…..Share in comments
My kiddos love family fued…a nice family show (hence the name) question #1 of the night “Name the top 5 things a man carries in his wallet”….and that’s how it began….(you know what #1 was)….next question from my 4th grader….”mom what’s a condom”….the more I ignored….walked away….discouraged….the more inquisitive…consumed….encouraged he became….Soooo on a trip to Gander Mountain one Saturday Matt told him…everything…
Be open and honest first and foremost – you will be thankful for it later on when they aren’t embarrassed to talk to you about anything… If you show embarrassment so will they. short and sweet with your answers At first. They generally just want some info. Give it to them in small increments then when u feel like they are ready sit down child and both parents and have ‘the talk’. Again even if you are nervous or embarrassed don’t let them know. Talk to them like you would about anything else. Bring in scripture about marriage and how God make it all beautiful.
My four year old has known for a while where she came from, she has seen the c-section scar.
sweet friend, that is hilarious…… to say the least. I can guarantee there isn’t a mom, on this side of Glory, that hasn’t had a similar situation happen. Its how we react that impresses those little minds. Id say yours was much like most of us mamas… mortified, speechless, wishing we were not in the room and searching those memory files for some type of plausible answer for the youngster, while pleading with your face to keep that sweet composure for your inquiring child who is lookin for the short answer. To have the Hubs in the room is a bonus. Only problem is his willingness to engage that question. I know my Hubs was willing to answer but with all the graphic, no holds barred explanation, and I remember my small “screech” before he could get the attention of our 5 year old that stopped him in his tracks. Ahhhh parenthood…. it brings so much love, joy, terror, confusion, the entire spectrum of emotions. I thank God daily for His awesome mercy and grace and I pray that He will guide you too, through the parental maze that we all travel with few wrong turns. You are blessed.
One of my children, whom I will not name, had the word, “sex,” defined as “how God puts the baby in the mommy’s belly.” that child’s response: “so. You and Daddy have had ‘the sex’?”
I have a 5, 4 , and 2 year old. When the questions arise I plan to be open and honest. I hope to be the one to answer their questions and satisfy their curiosity. I much rather me or my husband be the one to answer questions, rather than random kids on the school bus. I tend to be rather blunt in most situations. I just hope I can deal with the ‘sex talk’ in a way that gets across the fact that, within marriage, sex is a beautiful thing that God created for us to enjoy. That sex inside of marriage is not bad, by any means, and is something worth saving yourself for and anticipating on your wedding day. I also hope, when the time is right, to be able to explain how devastating and costly sex outside of marriage can be. I want my kids to not be embarrassed to talk to me about anything. I hope and pray they always feel comfortable coming to my husband or myself when they have an issue, big or small.