The Facts Of Life

My daughters are at that lovely age where they want to know everything. Like 'What is God?', 'How big is the world?', 'When will we die?' and 'Where do I come from?'

I like to think of myself as a no-holds-barred kind of person. So when presented with this age old question, I went straight to the best source I could think of... the book entitled, "Mummy Laid An Egg". I first heard of this book through the blog, Blighty - which I highly recommend if you are chasing a good laugh.  In 'Mummy Laid An Egg', two children set their parents straight on the facts of life. Very funny, with amusing little illustrations like this...



Olivia: "This all looks like fun!" Ummmm... Karma Sutra, eat your heart out!


Nothing like scarring your kids permanently when teaching them about the birds and the bees. I know I'll never think about balloons or 'space hoppers' the same way ever again... But in spite of all the funny bits, the book has a serious message. It actually does teach small children about where they came from, in a factual - if not a little humorous - way.

The thing about bush kids though, is that it takes a bit to fool them. Even at the tender ages of six and four, I am certain that the girls could teach a few adults a thing or two about the mating rituals of dogs, and sheep, and cattle. Even Sam has commented on occasion about 'putting the rams in with the ewes'. They don't miss a beat, these kids!

Bush kids grasp fairly early on that babies do not spring from a pumpkin patch (how could they, if farmers go for long periods without any rain at all to water them?), or are not dropped off by the stork (the stork is not a bird commonly sighted out in these parts...). They don't know the exact details, but now, with a little help from the book, they understand that in the same way that two animals 'playing' in close proximity ends in a baby, the same goes for people... if they are married... and/or really LOVE each other... in a way that only two consenting ADULTS can. (Just in case my kids are reading this at some age down the track I consider to be too young to be an active participant in the sport of 'space hopping'.) Hmmmm.

Having said all this of course, my little babies are only at the very beginning of what I am sure will be a long journey of enlightenment. The questions will continue to get more difficult, and my answers will in turn become more creative. And when in doubt, I'll always be able to turn to the farm for a quick lesson in biology.