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From: itkin@luke.UUCP (Steven List)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Re: nudity and kids
Message-ID: <288@luke.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 26-Jul-85 17:00:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: luke.288
Posted: Fri Jul 26 17:00:57 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 30-Jul-85 04:33:48 EDT
References: <219@cuuxa.UUCP> <1294@mnetor.UUCP>
Reply-To: itkin@luke.UUCP (Steven List)
Distribution: net
Organization: Benetics Corp, Mt.View, CA
Lines: 45

Since I've already responded to frye's article (I DISAGREE VEHEMENTLY),
I'm responding to sophie's followup based on the surprise I found at the
end of her article.

In article <1294@mnetor.UUCP> sophie@mnetor.UUCP (Sophie Quigley) writes:
>In article <219@cuuxa.UUCP> frye@cuuxa.UUCP (frye) writes:
>>My personal belief is this: Don't let a child see
>>anything he/she will have questions about regarding sex 'til
>>such a time as the child can ask those questions an under-
>>stand the answers.
>>
>>I don't believe in creating questions in a child intention-
>>ally unless they can ask them and get an answer.
>
>Well, unlike many people of my generation, I saw my parents naked
>when I was a child.  Here's what I remember of the whole thing:
>It was neat to look at my parents.
[a bunch more stuff that I enjoyed and mostly agree with]
>My opinion is that the sooner the
>parents start answering questions, the more accustomed they will get to
>answering them appropriately.  I think that what I'd do if I was a parent
                                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>would be to give very short and precise answers to the questions asked
>and just make sure that the child knows that they can ask more if they
>want to know more.

First - this kind of thinking and clarity from a nonparent is WONDERFUL.
Thank you sophie.

Second - I agree.  This is well put.  We have a four-year-old and a
two-year-old.  They both ask questions (thank god) and test my wife and
me to our limits.  The point about "short and precise answers" is an
excellent one.  I think that the answer should deal with the question,
but not go on too far.  If the child is still curious (or if the answer
spurs another question), he/she should be encouraged to ask.  But the
child should be encouraged to THINK as well as ask.  The short but
complete answer achieves this admirably.

Again, thanks sophie.
-- 
***
*  Steven List @ Benetics Corporation, Mt. View, CA
*  Just part of the stock at "Uncle Bene's Farm"
*  {cdp,greipa,idi,oliveb,sun,tolerant}!bene!luke!itkin
***