But we are not talking about "dogs or cats or cars." We are speaking about
a subject that society finds "nasty" or "quiet like talking about toilet
paper" that the old lady used to whisper the word. I still sometimes feel
we have not progressed much from the 50's when I was a kid or my mom in the
30's, when my grandmother didn't tell my mom anything. Also, having been
molested at the age of 7 by a cousin's husband who was 21, I'm a bit
sensitive to making sure kids are aware. Body parts are body parts, we have
always approached things as matter of fact, answered questions only to the
question and no more until Kathleen started to rapidly develop. Like I
said, at 9.5 she knows pretty much the whole kit and caboodle. Having said
that, we started to read the 3rd Princess Diary book and right in the
beginning it talks about the mother - who is living in the foreign country
with her princess daughter and she is pregnant from a boyfriend. I got to
that part as we were reading the night stories and stopped, had to explain,
talk and I took it back to the library. Kathleen reads at a 5th grade
level, chapter books, and this was in the teen section, not adult. I was
applaud to say the least. We took it back, it was a basis for a great
discussion and had led to further questions about pregnancy and boyfriends
and marriage but they are surrounded by the stuff constantly. One of the
kindergarten teachers, a really beautiful lady, had a baby while teaching
without a husband or SO. Anyhow, I just think this whole line of 'how to
tell them things' leads to a better relationship and information. Kathleen
and her class will be going to the local health center early in the school
year this coming year to learn about sex - to which she has said "oh mom, I
know all about that stuff". There is still some giggling from her peers who
I know the mom's have not discussed much with them and they ARE developing.

Shirley

"Chotii" wrote in message
...

"shirley" wrote in message
news:rkZCc.116700$0y.45910@attbi_s03...

Do you call your nose "nosie" or your foot "footie"? I don't see a
difference! All body parts have names and whether the children are 4 or
14
they need to know.

Actually, my MIL did this with my nephews (for whom she provided daytime
care when they were small). Drove me nuts. And the dog was an 'arf-arf'
and
the car was a 'vroom vroom'. I have no idea why she didn't want to say
'dog'
or even 'doggie' and 'car', but there you went. I can tell you the boys
use
the correct words for them now, so they don't seem to have been harmed.

--angela