He's only 17 months. But he has 2 Aunts who are partners. When the time comes and he begins to notice something different about them versus his other Aunts and Uncles how could I explain things in way he will understand?
2007-08-04 14:55:34 · 15 answers · asked by Tashia 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
A 17 month old baby could never understand any aspect of sex.
2007-08-04 15:01:34 · answer #1 · answered by Robert S 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Easiest answers are the simplest. Don't highlight it any more than you do any other differences between people. Some families have six kids, some have two, some have none. Some people are single, some are coupled, some are divorced, etc.
A kid won't think to notice such differences as being significant unless the people around him are doing so, especially his parents. Imho best to just work it into daily life before it becomes an issue - "this is Aunt Emma, and her wife/partner/etc (whatever term she likes) Aunt Rachel." If/when he asks why two women are married/together/whatever, just say something like "Sometimes women marry men, and sometimes they marry women." No need for any real details beyond that.
The younger a kid is introduced to something, the more naturally and easily come to understand it. It's just part of how the world works, and how it's always worked since they were a baby, instead of something new and confusing.
2007-08-04 15:12:12 · answer #2 · answered by Mike 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When he notices and if he's curious enough he'll ask, then answer him, but you need not offer a solution to a question that hasn't been put to you.
From his point of view, as you stated, two Aunts versus Aunts and Uncles, he'll tend to think of it in those terms and you can add that sometimes there are two Aunts who live together, sometimes there are an Aunt and an Uncle who live together, and sometimes, there are two Uncles who live together.
That may satisfy him and if it does, you don't need to offer more information. Time will come for that later. Then you can say that sometimes two ladies fall in love, sometimes a man and a lady fall in love, and sometimes two men fall in love.
2007-08-04 15:13:32 · answer #3 · answered by jewel_mayhew 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the time when your son starts to notice differences in gender for couples will likely be @when he starts elementary.
So you got some time yet :)
I found with my son(who I explained 'gay' to @5 yrs old) that they didn't particularly care or notice the differences in couples.
But I made sure to let him know that some men fall in love with women and some with men. And the same with women. That there were all kinds of way to love and that was how some people loved. And my son saw such a great example of good, kind and loving couple in "uncle nick & uncle Will", that he had nothing negative to say about them.
Its important that my son learned that it was ok and didn't make anyone any better/worse than any other couple, merely different. Some people like vegetables, and some don't :)
My son understood it when I put it that way.
Believe me the kids come home from school with all kinds of stuff being fed to their minds by their peers. Getting them to accept and tolerate folks with different ways is as crucial as getting them comfortable with their selves and their bodies. I plan on doing the same thing with my 2 yr old son when he gets older. :D
best of luck!
2007-08-04 15:06:11 · answer #4 · answered by tazgirl469 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, you have some time to figure out what to tell him, that he might get an understanding,, but I dont think you have anything to worry about. Maybe have your aunts explain when he's old enough.
2007-08-04 16:31:58 · answer #5 · answered by free_chuck@att.net 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are all kinds of families, most are made up of a mother and father, but in the case of your aunts their family is made up of a woman and another woman. They are just like any other family and they love each other just as much as any family would. The are just different, and everyone has a few differences.
2007-08-04 14:59:48 · answer #6 · answered by Dan S 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
personally I think you shouldn't make a deal out of it, if you do it will seem like it's something different. When he asks why Just say that his aunts love each other just like any other coup,e you know. So as far as he is concerned it's nothing different and nothing usual.
2007-08-04 14:59:50 · answer #7 · answered by Daniel L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter who is now six also has two aunts who are partners,and I'm bi. I just told her something simple like,sometimes kids have a mommy and daddy,sometimes they have two mommies ,or two daddies,or one mom,or one dad. Some kids are raised by gramma. Like that. I told her sometimes all families aren't alike. Don't think they need more detail than that. She knows her aunts are "married."
2007-08-04 14:59:57 · answer #8 · answered by dragonfly 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Just tell him that sometimes people fall in love with people of the same gender and that's what his aunt did.
2007-08-04 14:59:42 · answer #9 · answered by Dawn 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well, maybe not now... but in a few years, this situation i read in a cheesy teen novel may give you an idea. so this 7 year old grl asked her older brother what "gay" meant. and she he said "well what do you think ti means?" and she said "I think it's when someone is really really happy" and he said "yes, it can mean that." and she said "I also think it's when two boys like eachother" and he said "it means that, too. it means two things." and she said "I know! it's when two boys are really happy becuase they like eachother!"
The important thing to do is tell your child that theya re jsut the same as everyone else, they jsut love a bit differnetly. raiseing an open-minded child is hard to do, but benificial int he long run :)
2007-08-04 16:11:00 · answer #10 · answered by risks_(with a pessimist) 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋