If you’re squeamish about puberty-related things, don’t read this. There, I warned you.
Little kids are fascinated with human bodies. Particularly the parts that are different on boy and girls, or grown ups v. kids. This is disturbing at first, but then you realize it’s totally normal and not at all linked to anything Freud ever discussed. Dude was crazy.
Goo has probably been the most curious of our three kids. She once saw a toddler friend – a boy – pee standing up, and then tried to duplicate that process. She was not successful.
Side note: There is no such thing as too much bleach in a house with children.
Anyway, she has tried to “feed” her babies like mommies do. She has asked numerous questions about why grown-up girl bodies are different from hers. She has also asked why there are bras in the little girls’ section of stores, why boys can pee standing up and she can’t, and when she’s going to get to wear fancy “shirts” like grown up ladies.
The other day, Punkin had a play date, and her friend who is a bit older is in the um – training – phase. Goo noticed the strap sticking out of her shirt, and with all the poise and etiquette that a four-year-old can muster, promptly asked:
Hey, you have those? My Mom does. Do yours feed babies, too?
Poor kid looked like a deer in headlights. Because girls on the brink of puberty are *super* comfortable talking about their transforming bodies.
I had another little talk with Goo about how big girl bodies can be different from little girl bodies, and about how she can ask me all her questions, but since it’s private, she shouldn’t ask other people. Job done.
This little incident was forgotten for the most part, until the Nerd and I found this:
That’s just inappropriate.
I may need to address this topic again.