The Chickens and the Bees – Why You Need to Have That Uncomfortable Conversation with Your Child
Several years ago, I had the brilliant idea that our family should become chicken farmers. We ordered baby chicks from a good friend, and I set out to build a chicken coop – actually a deluxe chicken palace. Our chicken coup had two floors, a four-seater nesting box, and spectacular picture window.
When our baby chicks arrived via the U.S. Postal Service, our adventure began. For the first several weeks, we kept the chickens in the shed under a heat lamp. Over time, the small baby chicks grew feathers and became big enough to move to the chicken palace I had constructed earlier.
Our chicken raising experience brought us many amazing stories and delicious farm-fresh eggs.
When we were getting ready for the baby chicks to arrive,I had a couple of challenging conversations with my son, Isaac. Here’s how it went:
- Your kids will find out one way or the other. Our kids are actually pretty smart. They will find things out from friends, from the internet, or from other resources.
- Your kids deserve to hear the truth from someone they can trust – namely you. You have a responsibility to talk with your kids and to teach them about life. Too many parents shirk this responsibility. They let their kids learn from others instead of from you. You are both missing out when you rely on other sources.
- You don’t want your kids to get the wrong messages. Let’s face it. A lot of the sources outside of your house are simply unreliable. Culture sends the wrong messages about sex, identity, and other things that really matter.
Have you been putting off an important conversation with your child? Take time today to initiate that conversation. If you are struggling with how to start, take time for yourself to plug into reliable resources and mentors to help you prepare for the conversations you should have with your kids.