40 Times Kids Asked “Where Do Babies Come From?” And Parents Answered Perfectly
Interview With Expert“Mommy, where do babies come from?” If you’re a parent, there’s a good chance you’ve frozen up after being asked a question like that. Your mind might have instantly started racing as you considered the best way to respond. Don’t panic, and don’t make any sudden movements. Can my child tell that I’m sweating? How honest should I be? Should I just tell them I’ll explain when they’re older?
Moms and dads have been struggling with this question for generations. But lucky for us, some have shared their hilarious experiences online. Bored Panda has scoured X to find the funniest stories parents have shared about explaining the miracle of childbirth. Keep reading to also find conversations with mother and blogger Vicky Hall-Newman and Lisa Hides, creator of I Hide From My Kids, and be sure to upvote the posts that make you giggle!
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Being a parent is never easy. It’s a 24/7 job that lasts for the rest of your life, and there’s no such thing as paid time off or taking a vacation from your responsibilities. As rewarding as being a mother or father can be, it certainly comes with its own unique set of challenges. Taking care of kiddos when they’re sick, teaching little ones how to be generous and kind humans and, of course, explaining the birds and the bees.
To learn more about this topic, we got in touch with Vicky Hall-Newman. Vicky is a mother, grandmother and the writer behind the blogs Miss Tilly and Me and The Little House by the Sea. She was also kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda about why it’s so challenging for parents to answer the age-old question: “Where do babies come from?”
“I think parents get embarrassed talking to their teens and pre-teens about where babies come from,” Vicky shared. “So they find it difficult to broach the subject. Finding the right time is key to successfully talking to your child about where babies come from.”
So what does this mom think is the best way to approach this uncomfortable topic? “I always bought a book when I was pregnant to show my younger children how babies were made, as it can be confusing when a parent is pregnant,” she noted.
But Vicky says it’s important to gauge how much you should explain to little ones. “Oversharing can scare them,” she warned.
We also wanted to know if there’s a specific age when kids should understand how exactly babies are made. “It depends on your child, because kids ask questions at different ages,” Vicky shared. “Kids are more curious when a sibling is on the way. Basically, if your child is old enough to ask the questions, they are old enough to learn about babies. But at a level they will understand.”
We were also lucky enough to get in touch with Lisa Hides, creator of I Hide From My Kids, to hear what she thinks about explaining topics like this.
"I've always been comfortable talking about these things with my kids but held back because I didn't want my kids to teach other kids if their parents weren't ready," she told Bored Panda. "I wonder if other parents hesitate for the same reason. We started with the ‘egg meets sperm’ aspect and hoped the questions would stop there. 'Who wants dessert!'"
That's your big brother that wouldn't behave.
It's a good thing that people don't actually get pregnant from just tolerating their partners very much... otherwise I'd probably have a whole passel of kids from my 23-year-long relationship with my ex XD
Lisa also shared a funny anecdote from her son's preschool days. "He’s always been precocious. It was right when his sister was about to enter the world," she explained. "The daycare teacher asked him where babies come from during carpet time (risky move—not sure what she expected, the stork?!) and he announced: 'Some babies come from vaginas and others come from surgery.' She learned an important lesson that day. Everyone else did too."
So what is the best way to explain where babies come from? "I think we need to let our kids take the lead. Thank them for asking, so they know they can always come to us with difficult questions," Lisa shared. "I would check what they already know on the topic - then fill in the gaps with facts and proper terminology. Stick to the topic at hand, if you're an oversharer like me, it's best to enlist the help of a partner or a resource -- there are some amazing books out there to support this conversation."
A little boy went out to the garage to ask his father "Dad...what does sex mean?". The father was shocked by the question, given his son's age, but figured it best to be honest and direct, and explained the process. When he finished he asked his son "So, do you understand?". The boy thought a moment, then shook his head and said "No really". Father said "Well, you will some day when you're older. Now...what made you ask that question?". The boy said "Cause Mom told me 'Go tell your father to wash up, dinner will be ready in two secs'."
"My daughter learned about sex from her grade 3 classmate: 'penis and vagina smoosh together,'" Lisa continued. "Close enough?"
"Kids have access to the internet, which is fraught with misinformation. For that reason alone, I believe this conversation should happen early," the mom pointed out. "There's no evidence that talking about sex early leads to having sex earlier. Teach kids about their bodies, what periods are, why we get them, how babies are made, or you, too, may find yourself scrambling to clarify the word 'smoosh' while running late for dance class."
And if you'd like to hear more from Lisa on this topic, she's actually written a humorous piece titled "Schoolyard Sex Ed Through the Eyes Of My Eight Year Old."
We hope you’re enjoying scrolling through these funny posts, pandas! If you’re a mom or dad, let us know in the comments if you’ve ever had a similar experience. And be sure to keep upvoting the pics you find most amusing! Then, if you’d like to find even more funny tweets about parenting, we’ve got another Bored Panda list for you right here.
I loathe the term 'front bottom' but at least when my mum said that's where babies came out I understood. This was after I had a doll up my top and was trying to work out the mechanics.
Yep, can relate - I was told in detail at 3 years old & I don't remember ever NOT knowing the full process! :D
It would both explain all the unstable furniture in my childhood and the loose screws I have now
Because of my reading level and also because I kept asking for books that were not in the kids' section, I was given access to the ground floor ("grown-ups") section of our town's public library at a much younger age than usual.. Working my way through the shelves, I happened on the Dewey Decimal 306 section and all was revealed in a single afternoon.
When I was of an age to have that question answered, I was given a book that illustrated the process of frogs starting as eggs, then tadpoles etc. The next chapter was about how a baby gorilla develops and is born. I had some VERY confusing dreams after that.
Because of my reading level and also because I kept asking for books that were not in the kids' section, I was given access to the ground floor ("grown-ups") section of our town's public library at a much younger age than usual.. Working my way through the shelves, I happened on the Dewey Decimal 306 section and all was revealed in a single afternoon.
When I was of an age to have that question answered, I was given a book that illustrated the process of frogs starting as eggs, then tadpoles etc. The next chapter was about how a baby gorilla develops and is born. I had some VERY confusing dreams after that.