Answering the Hard Questions Children Ask

It finally happened; your child came home from daycare and asked why his friend has 2 mommies. How do you respond? You know that his friend's parents are lesbian, but how are you going to tell your 4 year old that. Or your child asks you what sex is? Or where babies come from? These questions can be embarrassing, but they need to be answered. We all wish our children would stay that innocent little baby that didn't ask for information on topics that we would really rather not discuss, but then reality hits. Your child is going to ask questions and this is the time to teach them good values that your family believes in.

The question is asked, now what? How do you respond? How much information do you give them? Addressing the question is imperative. Ignoring the question will only make your child find the information from another source, not a good idea. Be honest with them. This doesn't mean do into details, just be honest.

Before your child went to preschool he had a limited view of what the world was like. Suddenly he is exposed to new information and he will have questions. This can range from people having different families to things that other children say. This is when he asks questions to understand what he is seeing and hearing. It is important to answer his questions promptly. If you keep postponing it, he will get the impression that you don't want to talk about it. Even though you may not want to talk about it, you have to because he will go elsewhere to find the information. This can lead to false information and prejudice views. It also prevents you, the parent, from teaching your child your values.

No matter what question or topic your child wants to discuss, you need to be honest with them. At 4 years old they are not going to understand technical language, but you need to talk to them in terms that they can understand. This is the time to guide your child towards the behavior deemed appropriate in your society. Be open and comforting, this will let your child know that they can come to you whenever they have a problem.