Preschooler asking where babies come from?

"The Talk," that stereotypical parent-child conversation about the birds and the bees, is something that most parents expect to have with their kids during the tween years. But, for those of us with extremely inquisitive preschoolers, questions about sex can come much earlier. I breed rabbits on a small scale, so I probably should have anticipated my daughter's precocious interest in where babies come from. Awkwardness aside, I figured out a pretty fail-proof way to discuss sex and reproduction with my preschool-age daughter.

Here are a few tips for when your preschooler starts asking about where babies come from.

1. Answer your child's questions. If you change the subject, laugh, or act embarrassed every time your preschooler asks a question about conception or birth, she'll internalize the notion that there's something shameful or dirty about it. While it won't permanently traumatize your child, it can upset or confuse her to associate babies and parenthood with embarrassment. For this reason, it's best to give your child a straight, true, and neutral answer to her questions.

2. Minimize the details. There's no need to fill your preschooler in on inappropriate details about sex and conception. When my daughter, then two-and-a-half, first asked where she came from, I simply answered, "My uterus," and explained that it was near my belly. I followed this with a photo of me when I was pregnant with her. Several months later, when she asked how our rabbit Eowyn got baby bunnies inside her uterus, I answered plainly, "Frodo [our male rabbit] put them there." There's no reason to add inappropriate or overwhelming details about the mechanics of conception. Those answers can come as your preschooler matures intellectually and emotionally.

3. Skip the lies and euphemisms. It's never a good idea to flat-out lie to a preschooler about where babies come from. Tall tales about storks and cabbage patches may seem whimsical and charming, but they will confuse your child when she sees a pregnant woman or hears about an expectant couple down the road. Although not as extreme, it's also a lie to say that your child grew inside your stomach rather than your uterus. Use correct terminology whenever possible as your preschooler begins asking questions about reproduction. This minimizes both mental and emotional confusion about the topic.

4. Use animals as a model. This was easy for us because we breed rabbits, but it's easy to use animals as a model for reproduction even if you do not have fertile pets. When my daughter asked how she got out of my uterus, I simply didn't feel comfortable giving the honest-but-gruesome answer that she came out of my vagina. Instead, I pulled up a high-quality, clean video online of a cat giving birth. (Click here to see it.) I then explained that I gave birth to her in the same way that the cat gave birth to her kittens. The visual guideline helped her make sense of where babies come from, in a universal sense, and it was easier than a detailed personal discussion.The animal world can help to give that comfortable bit of distance so that parents can feel more comfortable discussing the topic.

5. Encourage communication. When your preschooler asks detailed questions about reproduction or sexuality, make sure that she understands that she can talk to you any time she feels confused or curious. Mention, "That's a good question," when she asks about babies, pregnancy or gender differences. By ensuring that you have an open line of communication, you maximize the chances that she'll come to you with questions later on--during her teen years--when it will become critical for her to talk to you about sex and other sensitive topics.