My 8 yr old wants to know where babies come from???

Question

I want a simple explanation for her. We are in the process of divorcing and she is getting close to her period and just 'plain growing up'. I want to tell her as a child, but also give her a real idea. I know that it is going to be confusing, but just to try to get her to understand in the most basic of terms.

Answer 1

I would give her an honest answer but in kid friendly terms(not too graphic)
The baby grows in the mommy's belly for 9 months and when it is all done growing, it comes out of her vagina. The doctors and nurses clean the baby and check it...then mommy and daddy get to meet him/her and hold him/her.
Simple, honest and to the point.

Answer 2

I'm not a fan of telling lies like "the stork brings them" or "they pop out of a moms belly". Things like that can only upset and confuse a child.
My 5 year old knows this - that babies come from inside of mommy's belly. That's all I said and she later came up and asked more questions, which I honestly answered (know that I'm an OB nurse and we're not afraid of "real" terminology in my house). After she thought about it for a while, she wanted to know "how" the baby came out. She wandered if it was through the belly button. I said "no, the baby can either come out of the mom's vagina or a doctor sometimes has to do an operation to help the baby out". I also added that some children are "adopted" and never grew in their mom's belly.
That seemed to answer all her questions and I didn't give her more info than she needed or that she was ready for.
She never asked HOW the baby got in the belly in the first place or if it hurt or why some babies were adopted, etc.
It seemed to work out just fine for us.

I think if you give open, honest, and short answers, your child will digest the info and then forget about it if her needs are met or come back and ask more questions if she needs more info.
For a young child, I think that's much better than sitting down and having an hour long discussion about birds and bees when all they want/need to know are the VERY basics.

I'd be careful saying things like "God sends babies when a man and woman are married" because you'll have trouble explaining details when in fact some someone gives birth or adopts out of wedlock.

You might also try to find some books about sex at your public library. Some I've seen are pretty good, not too explicit, and age appropriate. You might also try the websites for pad companies for free literature for explaining the period to a young girl.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Tell her that it's a talk you will have AFTER everything calms down..she's gonna need you and your soon to be ex to explain the divorce MORE than where babies come from....

My ex husband has a fiance` and her daughter didn't HAVE a clue about her parents getting a divorce...until they moved into my ex's house...the girl is NOW almost 10 and this all STARTED when she was about 8~ Her parents still LIVED together but MOM was HELPING her friend Jim with somethings and that's why they had to sleep over etc...

Help her with the divorce first...SHe's gonna go through different emotions at different times...My son's doctor told me when I divorced their father...he may not show ANY signs of this bothering him until he's much older...and when he was about 12-13...he kept TRYING to put his father and I in the same room...and TRIED to get us back together...but I've been remarried for almost 5 yrs and have 2 children with my husband.

Good luck and if you ever need someone to talk [e-mail]...I'm always home... Kat

Answer 4

If she has no knowledge of what a uterus is, I would simply say this; When a man and woman are in love, the man has the seed and the woman has the egg. Together they grow a baby in the woman's belly (note I did not say stomach nor uterus. This is not important at this time and keeps things basically correct) Later as she learns about her period, details of woman's and men's reproductive systems will come into play. You could even state how the umbilical cord feeds baby as well.

Answer 5

You can try skirting the issue by telling her some babies come from New Jersey, some from California, etc. Eventually, she'll want a better answer but that'll buy you alittle time to find the right words. Give her only little pieces of information at a time -- not the whole story at once. Do be truthful with her and answer her questions when she asks so she can always trust you.

Answer 6

There are tons of articles on the internet on how to tell a child. I would just start by asking her what she knows / believes and go from there. Don't give her the stork story as she is way beyond that and you don't want her to shy away from asking you other questions. If she shows true interest in something - give her the knowledge.

Answer 7

She is wanting interest no count number no matter if that's damaging or no longer. She is probable wondering she sounds lovable. basically proceed to inform her to be a huge female and to act her age. even as she does communicate like slightly one tell her that you'll refuse to pay interest and seek for suggestion from from her till she acts like an 8 3 hundred and sixty 5 days old. even as she does say wow see how grown up you sound and components her a well-liked man or woman or some form of advantages.

Answer 8

Well I had told them when I was having my now 3 yr old (my kids were 5 and 7) that God had put the baby in my belly. Now my daughter is 8 also. One day she got nervous after seeing a sign in a bathroom asking not to flush sanitary napkins. She thought she had done something wrong by flushing the TP.

I then decided to briefly explain what they were ( I believe her menstruation will begin by age 9-10). I told her that girls are born with thousands of eggs that wait to become babies. I have not told her how and don't plan to right now. But she is right now satisfied with that answer.

Answer 9

Hmm... That seems to be a uncomfortable subject and encounter with a parent and their kids. Maybe you could just say that when I man and a women love each other very much and are preferrabley married they want to get closer to each other and through that process comes a baby. I don't know lol. and the baby lives in momys tummy for several months and soon it comes out for its birthday. lol thats the best i could do good luck though, but later on i would also (depending on religon , lifestly, exc) say when it is appropriate to have sex and teh risks involved such as STDs, pregnancy and heartbreak.

Answer 10

8 yr olds are smarter than you think. Don't lie to her and tell it was the stork or something she probably already has a vague idea ask her and see where she thinks babies come from. Explain it to her now so later on she isn't curios. Don't be embarrassed and use the scientific terms for body parts. good luck isn't 8 soon for a period?