Where Did I Come From?: A Guide for Children and Parents, African-American Edition Author: Visit Amazon's Peter Mayle Page | Language: English | ISBN:
0818406089 | Format: EPUB
Where Did I Come From?: A Guide for Children and Parents, African-American Edition Description
- Age Range: 4 and up
- Grade Level: Preschool and up
- Hardcover: 48 pages
- Publisher: Lyle Stuart; African-American edition (September 1, 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0818406089
- ISBN-13: 978-0818406089
- Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
My mother tried teaching me about sex starting at about age four or five--I'm not sure I was ready to hear it at that point, but, as life would have it, a therapist had a copy of Where Did I Come From? on her coffee table when I went to go see her at age six. I was curious about the book, since the pictures were engaging and the topic matter was obviously interesting to me, so she read it to me. It was interesting and fascinating, and funny--the pictures were cartoony enough to be specific but not threatening or gross. I actually recall asking her to read it to me a number of times, and I asked tons of questions. I can't say how I would have responded to having my mom read it to me--a neutral third party was probably the best person, for me, to hear it from, just because my mom tended to get very self-conscious teaching me about sex, and that made me uncomfortable (although, God bless her, she did try!). I really enjoyed the book as a child, and it taught me everything I needed to know to understand what sex and puberty were so that by the time those things happened, I knew not only what was going on, but because it was so easy to ask questions with the book, I knew I could ask more questions of my mom and other adults in my life (doctors, health teachers, etc)(and find more books) when the time came. (I actually can't stress that enough--when it was about time for my friends and I to start menstruating, we actually went to the library (without our parent's knowlege) and took out a book called "Period" to tell us more about it (another great book--I don't know if it's still in print or not-- just the right speed for 10-12 year olds). And that helped a lot too.
If you're looking for a way to ease into talking about sex with your kids, Where Did I Come From?
"Where Did I Come From?" by Peter Mayle is a great tool to help you through those embarrassing questions the youngins are asking. It is geared for the very young, I would say ages 5-8, and is best if read together with mom or dad. The text is frank and straightfoward and the cartoon like illustrations,including mom and dad making love, leave no questions about the difference between men and women. I did not find the illustrations to be graphic or offensive any more than a nude sculpture or painting in a museuem( I'm not comparing the art work by any means, just the idea).
This book covers the basics without getting too scientific(We can save that part for when they're older). If your kids have a notion that "I was brought special delivery by the stork", by the end of this book they will know the truth. Starting out with the physical differences between men and women,there are explanations of the REAL names of parts of the anatomy, the act of making love, conception(sperm and eggs included), different stages of fetal development and the birth process.It is all covered.
As I mentioned above, it is probably important to read this book together(even if the child can already read), as you may want to interject your own thoughts and answer any questions along the way. For example, the book talks about the good feelings adults get during sex, and at that point I felt that it was important for my kids to know that this would be between a married couple who love each other very much. In a world where bad things can happen, I didn't want that open to any other interpertation! You may also want to read it on your own first, so you will know what to expect and be prepared for any forthcoming questions or giggling!
Sooner or later you gotta do it!.
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