While we were away in Edinburgh earlier this month, a friend asked me if we’d spoken to William about the “Facts of Life”. I replied in the negative, and she said that we really ought to start thinking about it, particularly erections/wet dreams (eugh!!) and so on. (This particular friend is in the medical profession, and likes to call a spade a spade, so to speak).
After I’d finished choking on my gin and tonic, and protesting ‘but he’s my BABY!’ etc etc and reflected on it a bit further, I decided she was probably right. But how to go about it?
I certainly didn’t fancy the “Right, let’s sit down and talk about the birds and the bees” route, so decided that perhaps the best idea would be to get a book, which he could read in his own time, and tell him that if there was anything in it he’d like to discuss or had any questions about, he could ask either me or his Dad (oh, please let it be his Dad that he goes to – I’m not ready for this yet!)
So, I began to do some research on the internet, on various parenting forums, to try and find a suitable book.
I was pretty horrified by some of the books being recommended by parents as suitable for 10 year old boys: call me old fashioned, but I don’t think my 10 year old really NEEDS to have gay sex, STDs and contraception shoved down his throat quite yet.
Anyway, I eventually settled on the book in the photo above, ordered it, and it arrived yesterday. It is pitched exactly right for William, I think: it’s factual without being frightening, and written in easily accessible language with plenty of cartoon type illustrations. As well as the ‘body’ stuff, it’s got lots of really good info about friendship, school, bullying, personal hygiene, feelings etc.. I was really pleased with it.
I gave it to Will last night, and he took it up to his bedroom and was engrossed for about an hour. The timing was well planned: I had to go out to work at 5.00 pm, so any questions would have to be directed at Dad (mwa hahaha). But none have been forthcoming. Yet.
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