Kids knowing about basic anatomy

fgjk

Thu, Sep 12 2024, 7:55 am

I've read the question about telling chasidish kids about siblings' pregnancy, and I actually have a similar question.
I come from a BT background family, while DH's family is very rabeish and a little chasidish (but definitly litvish) type.
In my family, everything about pregnancy has always been very clear : hashem sends a tiny baby into mummy's belly and it grows up during 9 months til it goes out in the hospital (we actually knew where it comes out but that's another story: somebody told me at a very young age and I was so shocked that my mother told it earlier to the next siblings).
Also every part of the body had a name, not always the real one ("the milk" is a part of the body), so we had tools to talk or asking questions about it.

In DH's family, the younger kids have never been told how new baby appears. Some have understand hearing from others that the belly grows up before giving birth but it's very unclear, I thing MIL is either uncomfortable or doesn't want to talk about it. They even think women's belly is upper (bosom).

I understand their knowledge about basic anatomy is confused, while I always thought it was totally evident kids would know what are each part of the body and where the nursing comes from...

I'm quite a young married (1,5 kids bh) and I want to tell my baby and the future ones about what I think is basic knowledge about babies, anatomy, how body works, how amazing it is...

I would love to read your thoughts about how you dealt with it with your own kids, what were your beliefs before growing your kids up.

amother

Emerald

Thu, Sep 12 2024, 7:58 am

I’m chassidish and I believe that people who don’t inform their kids of basic anatomy ant an age appropriate level are doing them a major disservice.
You tell your kids the way you grew up and tell them that you only discuss these things at home, and not in school with friends.

amother

Burgundy

Thu, Sep 12 2024, 10:54 am

I believe in not telling untruths, but I don't like to use anatomically precise names for young children. I will say my chest rather than my breast.
I think it's important to give over things at the right ages. Most children when given a basic answer will be fine with that. 'Why is your chest so big mommy?' 'so I can feed the baby milk'. And I found matter of fact answering worked and they were fine with the answer.
The more we are okay with discussing things the more our children will also be.