Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Mama, do people come into heat?

This morning the inevitable happened. My almost 13-yr-old daughter asked the dreaded question.

Mama, do people come into heat?

I was jotting down on the calendar at that moment that our goat, Lady, might be in heat because my daughter pointed out how the little boy goat (castrated) was trying to mount her and she was standing perfectly still. A big sign of girl goat heat.

I grinned big at the calendar thinking what a perfect way for her to ask about this subject. I knew it was only a matter of time, she has the animals life cycle figured out. But I didn't really know what to say, I am not one of those moms who know how to talk to their kids about this in a nonchalant way, she asked again.

Mama, do people come into heat?

Chuckling softly I turned around and casually said, "Hon, lets talk about this later." I have avoided this subject before by putting it off until another time when the kids were younger and just didn't need to know, but I know the time is near, perhaps today.

She was pouring the goat's milk through the strainer into the jar musing to herself and said, "I want to know how people mate. I know so much about animals but I don't know about people, I really want to know."

Lord, may she always be this innocent!

I had to mouth over her little, very acute of hearing, brother's head, "LATER!"

Her, "OK."

Lord have mercy on me.

Country Jane, reality check complete

5 comments:

Lynda said...

I remember my son when he was 6 announcing at the Christmas dinner table he had seen my husband's nephew *mating* with his girlfriend...dead silence...he'd seen Tommy kissing his girlfriend under the mistle-toe. Life on the Farm!

Country Jane said...

Hahaha! That's a good one!

LindaM said...

At least your daughter asked you. Shows that you can handle this one! My daughter is nearly 18 and still has a bit of innocence in her so take heart!
Lynda...that is a hysterical story! LOL!

Practical Parsimony said...

By the time my children were 7-yrs-old, they had asked all the right questions, and I had answered them. So, the moment for "the talk" happened before they were eight! Plus, I told them that I would answer any question, not to ask their friends who probably did not know. They came home and asked all sorts of questions and got the right answer. My friends were so horrified that my children would tell their little sister who might then tell their preschoolers. When my preschooler wanted to know EXACTLY what her middle orifice was for, I told her, and she said, "Oh." None of my children ever could be described as not innocent just because they knew the facts. I thought the facts protected them. My mother told me the whole thing when I was eight when my mother told me, and my daughter told hers when they were eight. Knowledge is a powerful weapon and protector.

Jane said...

I really don't remember having the talk with my daughter,but I don't believe she is any worse off for my neglect,lol. I am following your blog,you are welcome to follow mine as well. Blessings jane