ADVICE RATING |
 4.63 (Highly recommend) from 12 votes (671 Visits) |
Children ask a lot of questions and sometimes they can ask you questions that leave you gobbsmacked/speachless.This can be a parents nightmare sometimes, especially when faced with sensitive questions. Children are at any age are normaly curious and inquisitive about life and from the moment they can formulate questions -
at about 2yrs of age - and continue to bombard their parents with the "How's, Where's and Why's" of everthing!
Encourage a healthy dialogue with your children from the word go!
Establishing open honest communications with your children is the most important role of a parent. Who else would you want your children to turn to when they need information, help, advice and counsel? Children who's questions are being ignored or deflected will more then likely cut themselves off from their parents when really difficult questions or situations arise in their life.
Parents who are open, responsive, and frank to their childrens questions, encourage self-esteem, balance and fairness in their children and give them the space to think, weigh up options, decide and act responsibly. Healthy communications has to start at the very first time your child asks a question and should continue throughout your childs life. Parents are childrens first educators,and all their learning - including sex - starts at home.
Many parents wonder if information, especially about sex and drugs, can be harmful for their children at a young age and hold back giving them the facts for fear that it will encourage them to experiment. It's children who don't have the information who experiment and explore dangerously. Usually children who have been given the facts and information when they ask, have a balanced view and can keep things in perspective as a normal part of life
The right answer for your child's age.
Frankly being open and honest isn't always easy! There are most definatly going to be difficult times when words are hard to find to explain and answer your childs questions! But no matter what age they are! It is my belief that your answers should be truthful at all times. Depending on the age, as to how detailed you can be. Stick to the basics for young children, answer as simply as you can, for too much information can be lost on a younger child. EG: My daughter at 3yrs old ask her father, "Where did I come from?" My husband was taken aback for a bit then said " Well we mixed a little bit of daddy and a little bit of mummy and put them together in mummys belly and out popped you, a beautiful baby girl" It was simple, truthful, (not detailed as it didn't need to be) and brought a big satisfactory smile from my daughters face. Answers do not have to be long and detailed.
If you don't know the answer! Then don't lie, just say you don't know, but you can use this opportunity to learn with your child and research the answers together. As your child gets older the more details can be included in the answers.
(September 2006) (
