Any book suggestions for having the talk with little boys? Any good resources for boys to keep on hand when they have questions? It's time to start opening that door. Of course, in moderation:)
Thanks,
M.
Great input! Thanks for the suggestions, thus far. I appreciate them very much!!!
"What's Going on Down There?" is the book I gave my boys. Be warned it is graphic(explains everything from pubic hair to wet dreams) and it has a comical side to it which makes it a bit lighter for the kid. It mentions slang terms and old wives tales, pretty much everything they want to know but are afraid to ask!
You might want to start out by sitting down and asking him what he thinks about certain topics. You don't want to overwhelm him with more info than he's ready for, but let him know that you are alright with talking about it. My mom was good at that, and growing up I knew I could ask her anything, and she'd give me a straight answer without getting upset. If you could feel out what he's heard from his friends, or what he's seen on tv, sometimes kids piece together a really confusing picture from misinformation.
One of the best time to talk about this stuff is while you're driving since neither of you have to look at eachother - it will give him a greater sense of comfort to listen and ask questions. Another time is when you've tucked him in and turned off the lights and you can sit on the floor or in a nearby chair.
My now 11 yo son doesn't want me to even begin to say any words that seem to come anywhere near "the talk" - he wants to hear it from dad and will put his fingers in his ears and do the "lalalalalala" until I stop talking! Even though I think I'd do a better job communicating this stuff to him he won't listen to me - so what good will that be!
The libraries have all kinds of books to use. It's better to instill your values at this age w hile he's still wiling to to take your advice and internalize it - by 13 or 14 it may be too late so - you go girl!
Good luck!
A animated book titled, "It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie H. Harris.
I suggest you read the book & disseminate the info to you child and later when he's old enough he can read it for himself. Good luck!
I don't remember the exact author, but I found a DVD for parents under the Sweet Deals a few weeks ago regarding this very subject... I purchased the sweet deal and found the same author had books also. I purchased the book for the girl because my granddaughter is also recently turned 10. The book was very colorful and dealt with more than just "The Talk" it had tips for girls on taking care of themself in dealing with cleanliness to shaving, dealing with relationships. I also am part of a group - Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition, and I know through our local health department they have similar books available. We have a program called "Parent Talk" and the best information in a short form I can give you is use teachable moments from what is already there - TV and internet and life in general... most children don't want to have the sit down talk, but you will be surprised just how much information you can share in everyday circumstances. Taking the child out or taking time for regular one on one outings can give you the quality time you need...don't try to get it all in at one time and cause overload. One bit of information we found is that even though children/adolecents act like they don't want to talk or hear, it is the one thing they wished they had more of... communication with their parents.
So congratulations on your desire and best wishes in this endeavor...
You might could look back on the list of Sweet Deals it was called somethign like "Talking the Birds and Bees". Our Parent Talk program is called Birds and Bees, Not Fish and Flies. Don't use psuedonyms for the wording, use the actual terms to teach your child. If you have nick names, make sure they are aware of the actual technical terms also for the body parts.
Good Luck!
M.
I like the Ready, Set, Grow books for boys. They are more simplistic, good for a "first introduction" to the idea of puberty. But they look at the subject with honesty.
I have spoken with my 9 year old about some of these issues for years, but lately, I've had my husband talking to him more and more. They have the same "plumbing," so it makes sense that my husband could answer his questions better than I could. My son is also more comfortable talking about the subject with him, which I totally understand.
