need a good "birds and bees" book

My dd is 8 and we've been slowly introducing ideas for a long time.Adoption provides a great starting place. She knows that she has the physical looks because she was made from her birth mother's/father's "parts". She knows that girls have a uterus and that's where babies grow.We also had bunnies so she knows the bunny seeds grew in the mommy bunnies belly. She also knew the daddy bunny had to be seperated because he had the seeds. We were planting a garden so the analogy was familiar to her. And she was 5-6 and hasn't really asked any questions since. I let her do the asking, then respond with age appropriate answers.

my son knows those types of things too, but I think we need to tell him the whole situation so he doesn't hear about it on the playground and get the wrong information first. The parenting books I have read say to do it at age 8. looking back, 3rd grade was when I heard about it from someone at school, then went to my dad for clarification.

My daughter is nine and I finally decided I better start educating her...I bought the book "Before I was Born". It is christian based. The book is very detailed...and the first time I read it to her I did my nervous laugh and skipped a sentence. But I explained to my daughter I was nervous because it isn't something people talk about in open. So I have read it a few times since and done well with it. I guess I wasn't ready for the details but she was, she even asked a few questions. The book is written for ages 5 to 8 but I would say know your kid because it tells the detail of sex. I guess I would also say know yourself too because you have to be ready for the grownup words. I have already taught my kids the proper names for their bodies so it didn't feel weird to say them but explaining how it works was really hard for me. *insert nervous laugh here*

There is a great book called "Where did/do I come from?" It's a book that explains everything with proper names and talks about the Mommy and Daddy and how they love eachother and so on. The pictures lay it all out. I was read this story as a child of about eleven. My son who is seven will be ready for it when he is eight. Because my parents took the time to tell me themselves about sex and kept an open dialog when I had questions, it took the curiosity out of sex and I chose abstinece. Keeping myself moraly clean and following the gospel guidelines made much more sense because of what my parents took the time to tell me. Good Luck.

I have to second LLCI on the openness factor. I'm a firm believer in the concept that sex should be sacred, not secret, and that's not always how it works within the LDS church (probably more cultural than doctrinal). You might want to review the publication "A Parent's Guide" from the church, you can google it or find it on LDS.org There are aspects of it that I personally think are out of date (of course I tend to be liberal...), but it's a good overview. And honestly, though it sounds corny, practice giving "the talk" in the mirror, and to your husband. Hopefully that will reduce the embarassment factor for you, and help it flow more naturally when you are talkin with your son. No good book suggestions, sorry. The last one I picked up at DI's was not exactly in line with gospel principles & ended up back in the DI's pile.

After some extensive research on this subject, I cannot find anywhere at any time did the church ever come out and say that telling your kids about the birds and the bees was discouraged. On the contrary, it is encouraged frequently. The scriptures also clearly state that a marrried couple should have a healthy intimate relationship for that is what God intended it for besides procreation. President Kimball Stated: "In the context of lawful marriage, the intimacy of sexual relations is right and divinely approved. There is nothing unholy or degrading about sexuality in itself [between a husband and his wife], for by that means men and women join in a process of creation and in an expression of love." He also said: In sexual matters, as in all other aspects of marriage, there are virtues to be observed: “If it is unnatural, you just don’t do it. That is all, and all the family life should be kept clean and worthy and on a very high plane. There are some people who have said that behind the bedroom doors anything goes. That is not true and the Lord would not condone it." And as early as President Lorenzo Snow mentioned intimacy also saying: :“When two Latter-day Saints are united together in marriage, promises are made to them concerning their offspring that reach from eternity to eternity. In the context of lawful marriage, the intimacy of sexual relations is right and divinely approved." Elder M. Russell Ballard, Elder Boyd K. Packer and other general authorities admonish all parents to teach thier children early about the birds and the bees. Culturally it is a taboo for some people in the church. But I have had countless people who did not obstain from sex and had it in their teens that wished that their parents and told them about and kept an open dialog. I think the misconception is if you don't tell them anything about it other than it's bad, that somehow they won't do it. It is much more likely they will if they are not told by their parents. There are statistics to back it up. Anyway, I'll jump off my soap box and wish you the best of luck and commend you for starting early....

I think any good body book will do. We just picked one up from the library two days ago and I had the conversation with our daughter. Acurrate illustrations (of just the body itself) are kind of a relief because they don't require imagination or a million words. Be sure you can have the conversation without a red face. If you can get your mind in the mode of and relay what a grat blessing our bodies are and the function and symbolism of sex in a relationship stressing--when it's done respectfully and with your spouse your conversation will be really bonding rather than awkward. By 8 years old you can pretty much expect he's heard af ew things here or there about it already. So you your function is to fill him in on th efacts BEFORE someone else does. There was a friend of mine who said pretty much hearing it from your mom takes all the curiousity and sensuality out of it. I think it's very important to stress that the way the world views sex is very different than the way Heavenly Father intends it to be. Besure not to mince with words. I am sure you will be very respectful but, also be very informative. Knowledge is power and these days these kids need that early on. I wish my parents would have been more open about sex in our home and would have been more willing to have open frank discussions answering any questions that arose when ever they arose. There is so much safety in being able ot talk to your mom or dad rather than friends or neighbors. It's important to let them know you KNOW all about it and they might not so you are the best one to talk to if they EVER want to talk about it more...and I suggest you follow up every so often so that they know you are serious about the door being open.

Helpful thread. Oh I am not looking forward to this part of parenting. :)