Oh, Dear.

Today Abel (who is 3 and a half) asked me, "Where are your boobs?"

"Right here," I said, pointing to them.

"Can I play with them?" he asked. "Like bongos (the drums)?"

"Uh . . . no."


Not too much later he asked, "Why don't mommies have a penis?"

"Mommies and girls are different from daddies and boys. They don't have penises," I replied. "They have vulvas."

"How do they go pee?" he asked.

I didn't even know what to say. Anatomy terms filled my brain . . . but I could think of nothing in the way of a preschool-apt explanation. Luckily something distracted him and we were on to a new topic.


But the day got even more interesting from there. A little while later Abel's closest female friends, ages 2 and 5, came over to visit, along with their mom. The kids were happily wreaking havoc in the livingroom/playroom, and then proceeded upstairs to jump on Abel's bed. But then things got quiet . . . too quiet.

Before the other mom and I were even halfway up the stairs, the older girl tiptoed down and said, "They're taking off their clothes."

Sure enough, Abel and the younger girl were naked, and tucked into my bed, side by side. "We're playing 'Be Naked In Mommy and Daddy's Bed,'" Abel explained, "just like Daddy when he goes to sleep." Uh-huh.

Kids that age don't lie still for long. In a blink, they were jumping on my bed, and the older girl had stripped as well. We let them goof around for a few minutes, but then managed to get them dressed quickly enough. All we had to do was offer cake.

Obviously Abel and his friends are curious about body parts and nudity and why girls are different from boys. I know it's normal. I know it's natural. But aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhh! I don't know how to deal with it! I mean, is it time to have the "bodies are private and we don't get naked with our friends" talk, or should I chill out and let him investigate and explore for a while. I don't want to instill shame. But I also don't want to be the mom whom others gossip about because "her son keeps taking off his clothes."