Sarah has been very interested in The Care and Keeping of You book by American Girl as of late.
I purchased it earlier this summer with the hopes it might motivate a certain child in my home to brush her hair now and then.
Oh, have I ever gotten what I bargained for and more.
We are not a family that believes in “taboo” topics. Though I might be dying inside, I talk about things like breasts and penises and the v-word and anything else (within reason) that comes up.
I don’t want to teach my children to be ashamed of ANYTHING, particularly when it comes to their bodies.
Ignoring private places and acting as if they don’t exist when they become a certain age just creates confusion and misunderstanding and Jason and I both feel we want to create an atmosphere where no topic is off-limits.
So while I believe in being direct and honest, I don’t believe Sarah is quite ready for “the talk.”
BUT.
She is very interested in this book and I want her to be prepared for when her body does indeed start to change.
So we read and chat as we lay in her bed at the end of the day. This is a safe haven because if she wants to talk about any of this stuff, I want it to be with me.
This evening I read the following passage:
“Breasts come in endless varieties. Some are big, some are small. Some are round, some are more pointy. Some sit high on the chest, some hang low. Some point up, some point down.”
And of course, I’m completely cracking up inside as I’m reading this but it’s true I couldn’t have said it better myself. Thank you, American Girl.
Just as I was marinating in the humor of this moment (add this to the list of “I can’t believe I just said those words…), Sarah broke the reverie of the inside joke I was having with myself.
“Yeah, mom. Like you have breasts that hang low and point down.”
Record scratch.
I guess it wouldn’t have been so bad if just the day before, Spencer hadn’t put his hands on my abdomen and asked why my stomach moves.
And in another banner parenting moment in which I’m certain I added another $200 to his future counseling bill, I very pleasantly bent over so I could see right into his innocent little eyes and, wearing my sweetest smile, said “Because of you, dear.”
Confused, I explain that he was a big boy and I had so many babies in such a short time and my stomach stretched and will never (without professional help) be the same again.
“Oh,” he answered and got the heck out of dodge.
Smart kid.
How do your kids keep you humble? Any funny stories you want to share?
Bwahahahaha!!! Love this! Children are fantastic at keeping us humble, aren’t they?
Absolutely! :) Thanks for reading and commenting, sweet Mandy!
Ok — I’m cracking up. I’m also flashing back to just a couple of years ago when my daughter was very interested in this book, too — it is a nice book for setting the stages for later things to come, that’s for sure.
My kids keep me humble constantly — a friend of mine refers to them as “holy sandpaper”.
Isn’t that the truth?
That is the best term I’ve EVER heard! They are INDEED holy sandpaper!!! :)
Thanks for reading and commenting, Mary!
Yep, will never ever forget Megan , approx age 4, “Mommy, why so your nipples hang so low?”
Apparently, I have the same problem. I guess I won’t be trying out for America’s Next Top Model anytime soon…HA!
Love it! I’ve had my boys ask if I have a baby in my tummy (when I most definitely did NOT) or comment on how my legs look wrinkly (erg). We all can’t wear Spanx ALL the time.
Oh, yes. I’ve been asked that one as well. LOVE.LY.
Last spring, I was getting ready to go out to dinner with my family. I asked my youngest if I looked pretty. I should have known better… He said “yes” but then he came over, placed his little hand on my tummy and pushed in and said “you’d look prettier if your tummy was here.” Knife straight to the heart, as I had worked my tush off (literally) and lost a whole bunch of weight during the winter. My husband couldn’t get him out of the room fast enough! But, he was right, my outfit did look better with my spanx!
Awesome. Yes, I need to get me some Spanx. Maybe that would decrease the mobility of my abdomen?? HA!
all I had running through my mind while reading your post was that old song, “Do you boobs hang low, do they wobble to and fro? ….. “
Another reason why we are kindred spirits! I so had that song running through my head as well. Love it!
Since my husband weighed less than I (6′ and 140) when I met him, and after 2 kids within 2 years of each other, he still remains that way; that fact is not lost on my oldest. She asked me one time while sitting on my lap reading a book, why my stomach was so big and not flat like Daddy’s. “Because Daddy didn’t carry you and your brother around in his belly for 9 months.” I cried later…lol, nothing like the children in our lives to point out our flaws including character ones as well as physical ones. Thankful for a husband that insists I’m prettier without makeup and happy that I’m not as bony as he is. Better my children point these things out than a friend or extended family member, lol that would indeed be horrific!
YES. Love how your point about how they notice our character flaws AND physical flaws. Mothering is no doubt not for the faint of heart! :)
Thanks to my kids I have to cross my legs when I sneeze.
Ooh, girl. You are so not alone.
I would also recommend not trying to jump in bounce houses…Just learned that one this past July during Spencer’s birthday party.
Mike’s daughter, Ashley, told me once that I need to trim my arm hair. Ha!
I just ordered that book after reading this. Ashley is 9 and I think pretty clueless about her body and the changes that are happening. I’m not sure she’s comfortable talking about things like that with me yet (I’ve only been her stepmom for a month!), but she loves to read, so maybe a book like that would help.
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing…about 2 years ago my youngest, then 4 asked if there was a baby in my belly, and he was pretty sure there was because it looked like it to him. I am still trying to lose those 10 pounds, sigh.
Love those American Girl books; Avalon gets right to the point and continues to keep me update with which breast stage she is on at the moment :)
Oh, I completely am with you on this! I got that book for Carah last year and she read it through. Then one evening when we were having a heart to heart she informed me very seriously that she thinks she will use pads rather than tampons. She had really been thinking it though, and it lead to a great conversation about many things. She certainly knows more than I did at that age!