When will you tell your kids?
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Berclair School, Bee County, Texas. In an open field in front of the Berclair Mansion sits an abandoned schoolhouse, filled with faded and broken memories of decades past.
If there is one thing I have learned about Texas, it’s that Texas is filled with abandoned schoolhouses. I’ve run across all sorts of schools all over south Texas – from one-room shanties in the hills of Payton’s Colony or the desert plains of Comstock; to boarded up structures in Gillett and Quihi; to huge half-destroyed high schools in Asherton and Catarina. So it was no surprise to run across an abandoned school in Berclair.
The town of Berclair sprang up in the 1890’s when the railroad was built across the Coastal Bend. While it did serve the local ranchers, Berclair never really exploded, topping out at just 350 residents at its largest. Then the Great Depression hit, and like many small Texas towns, it never really recovered – dropping down to sixty to seventy residents until recently.
I have no idea of exactly when this little schoolhouse closed its doors, but it looks like it must have been at least a few decades ago. Inside, I did find a reunion sign for the Class of 1948. Now the building is filled with some junk scattered around the floor, plus it looks like has been used for storage for various community organizations at one time or another.
The front door opens up into a single central hallway that leads to another door at the rear. The entire left side of the building is one large room, which could be divided into two classrooms, and a raised section towards the rear that can serve as a stage. Off to the right, two smaller rooms filled with trash. A stairway heads to the rafters and attic, doubling as a storage area. In back, separated from the main building are the restrooms.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any information at all about this school online. Although the schoolhouse was open to the elements with trash and some graffiti, it appears it has been cleaned up in the past (for class reunions, for example), and will no doubt be fixed up again in the future. Pictures taken March 7, 2009.
Question by ღ Red ღ: When will you tell your kids?
For parents who have young children. (preschoolers) When do you plan on having the birds and the bees talk with your children?
Will you wait for them to bring it up, or will you strategically drop facts along the way?
How old do you think they will be when you need to have the talk?
I know when I was in school they did a basic anatomy class in 5th grade(?) How soon do they start now?
My husband and I were discussing this because of the girls I see now wanting babies, at 12 years old. Having sex, and asking questions on Y!A? that their parents should be answering for them, even regarding puberty. I hope to raise my children where they wont feel like they have to ask strangers online when they have a personal question. I do not understand why some parents think it is ok to leave it up to the school system and experience for the children to learn. Let me know what you think on the subject, what your plans are for the future.
If you already have older kids, let me know how you handled it. I want to hear what everyone thinks!
Do you believe that not telling you children and sheltering them is crippling?
I do.
Can you help? Leave your own answer in the comments!
6 Responses to When will you tell your kids?
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There are some good picture books on this topic that might help you introduce it all in an age appropriate way.
The kids are ready for that info when they start to ask. Try giving a little bit of info and waiting until they ask for more. Sometimes adults, not wanting to lie or dumb things down, give too much info.
Often kids come up with their own theories. If they are really wrong, you can correct them. But if a 3 year old thinks babies come out of mum’s belly button, does it matter? There’s time for that later.
Rosie_0801
May 11, 2012 at 5:40 am
My girls are grown and my grandaughter is 11 and I am telling you in todays society you best answer any questions a child has…if they ask the question, they are ready for the answer…teach them young..I used to teach women against rape and I can tell you you can prepair a child at a very young age to protect themselves against preditors, and if they are trained when things happen they can do the right things without thinking about them…my grandaughter at 11 has already had a boy try to force her…a perfect stranger at school…she was prepared and knew what to do…teach your children about sex and the good and bads of it, when they know you dont have to worry half as much as when they dont. People are stupid if they think the children are not exposed to all they bad things they dont want them to see…a child that has knowledge has the power to make the right choice…
rowdysunsetart
May 11, 2012 at 6:27 am
I have raised three daughters and I, as the father, explained the Birds & Bs to them when my oldest just started puberty. I explained it to them all at the same time so they would have a chance to talk to each other about it. !0 or so is about the right age now I think.
P.S. I also had the wonderful privalige of teling them what is going to happen at puberty (period). There mother (we were divorced) didn’t have the nurve to tell them. I was also there (fortunately) for two of them when they had their first minstral cycle. I could not beleive how hard it was to find a tampon for beginners! I did have a lady friend teach them how to use them. Just wanted to make that clear!
skiingted
May 11, 2012 at 7:02 am
well i have 6 kids.15,13,7,3 and 2.of course things have changed since i was a kid ,so i let them know about some “birds and bees” as soon as 1yr old.the reason being that this is when they really start to interact with other children.you never know what the other children are like,better yet………you dont know what anyone who comes into contact with your little one is like or what intentions they may have.your lil one needs to know where they shouldnt be touched.
when my oldest was little,people would tell me that i was putting “fear” into her.well i dont think i was.you must let your lil ones know about these things.she would ask about her brothers parts ,and why they were different from hers.i explained to her.as years went by she started to ask what people do with thier “parts”.i explained that as well.
all five have asked at different ages and in different amounts of curiosity.depending on how well they begin to understand things,they will ask more and more about it.my 2 older ones now have been very good at coming to me with ALL kinds of questions. i kind of started to back of the “teaching”when i felt comfortable with what they knew and how well they understood it.depending on what gender you have ,prepare yourself and be ready at all times for the suprising but very intresting questions they may have for you.
my 13 yr old (male) came to me at 10yrs of age about masturbating.OMG ……..i was almost speechless.i stopped and sat with him and we discussed this matter.he was curious about it because a friend always mentioned it.nothing new,i think thats where all kids first hear about new things.my 15 yr old has been excellent about asking when she has questions and reassures me that i will always be the first to know about anything .she isnt comfortable talking to dad,but thats understandable as long as shes talking right?!
i do know that they are offered classes at school where they are talked to about drugs,sex,puberty and so on.i dont think it is the same as you talking to them yourself.i would suggest that both you and your husband talk to your lil ones about the “birds and bees” when you feel time is right.i didnt do this with mine.i think that is part of the reason why they wont talk to him. i wish you all the luck and i hope i have been of some help!
fishin for answer
May 11, 2012 at 7:53 am
im only 15 but my mom talked to me about sex since i was little my bros are 9 and 7 and they both kno about sex b/c of kids at skool i think 7 is a good age but still keep it g rated just talk to them about not letting ppl touch there privates
brittany c
May 11, 2012 at 8:39 am
I have two boys, 4 1/2 and 6. I’ve already had several versions of “the talk” with them. When they asked, I explained it to them in a way they could each understand it. I drew pictures of sperm, egg, and fallopian tubes, and showed them pictures of their own ultrasounds so that they could get a sense of a how they developed inside the womb. In addition to this biological discussion I emphasized the importance of being in a loving relationship prior to making a baby.
When I was a child I was told all of this by my parents when I first asked and, I believe as a result, I have never had any hang ups or issues about sexuality.
Lawyer Dude
May 11, 2012 at 9:33 am