by Laura Falin posted in Pregnancy

Every once in a while, I see a news story about a politician or educator or someone recommending that kids be taught sex education early, sometimes as soon as kindergarten. The idea has never bothered me, because if you're a parent with more than one kid, chances are you've already had "The Talk" in some form.
Kids -- preschoolers, especially -- are curious. Nosy, actually. They're nosy. And if you've been around a preschooler while you've been pregnant, you know many of them have no problem asking you how that baby got in there and how it's getting out.

When I was expecting my third, his 3-year old sister became obsessed with figuring this out. The first time she asked, very loudly, we were in the grocery store. "Mom! You have a baby in your tummy -- how's it getting out of there""!" and everyone stopped and stared at me. I stammered that I'd talk about it with her later, and she moved on. The next time she asked, we were in a car with another friends' kids, and while I have no problem (I thought), talking to my own kids, I didn't want to have the conversation with other people's children. And then one day, I overheard her talking to her brother. "Mom's got a baby in her tummy and I don't know how it's getting out of there. I asked Ella (a friend) and she doesn't know. And I asked Mom and she doesn't know. So I don't know what's going to happen to that baby."
She sounded worried. And I realized ...