Siri…I don’t have answer to that question
Hey, Siri are you shy?
Siri…I do not understand you
Hey, Siri I hate you.
Siri… why what have I done to you Fatema?
This Cute Shock is from Fatema an 11 year old girl:
Unlike Google, Siri is funny and has a great sense of humor. The first time I heard SIRI talking, the movie “HER” popped into my head. It was about a lonely writer who develops an unlikely relationship with “Samantha” an intelligent computer operating system, designed to meet his every need, personified through a the voice of Scarlett Johansson.
We cannot control our kids access to certain information, sex and violence being the top two topics. We have to answer such questions when asked as honestly as their young minds can process. Don’t think your kid is too young. If your child is old enough to ask, he/she is old enough to get an answer. Thank God SIRI and Apple’s operating systems don’t answer these kind of questions on our behalf. This generation is witnessing the high tech revolution and adapting faster than we do. The best path to take is to be honest with your children.
“No matter what your child’s question is try not to snap, and don’t try to steer the conversation elsewhere.”
Where do babies come from mommy? Other dimension! Or when daddy kissed you the first kiss God created me in your tummy?
Noha Abu Almagd parents life coach & founder of “Master Your Little Monster” workshop will help us answer those kind of questions. At school kids are exposed to various opinions, ideas, and misconceptions. It is likely that your children will put a great deal of faith in the “facts” they hear from other kids, no matter how outrageous they are.
No matter what your child’s question is try not to snap, and don’t try to steer the conversation elsewhere. Your children will get the wrong message and this might feed their curiosity in inappropriate ways. Don’t make up stories about storks or talk about sex (yet) if your kid is just asking about where babies come from. If you show that you are uncomfortable, they will pick up on it and may associate that embarrassment with sex and their bodies on the long run.
Answer their questions by saying: “What a good question! Ask me some more any time you want to”. It’s really important to use language kids can understand, for example you can associate the process with planting a seed. You can say: “Do you know how plants come from a seed? Babies come from seeds too. The daddy has the seed, and the mommy has the egg, they join in the mommy’s body once they get married to grow a baby. Don’t be afraid to call parts by their names penis, vagina, womb, and so on or just call them “private parts”. As long as you’re comfortable with the terms your kids will be too.
“If you show that you are uncomfortable, they will pick up on it and may associate that embarrassment with sex and their bodies on the long run.”
If talking about sex is difficult, try rehearsing your answers in advance either alone or with your spouse or partner. Take advantage of questions that come up when you’re both at ease, in the family room while watching TV, during bath time, or while you’re tucking them into bed. Keep answering your children’s questions as long as they show interest, but don’t overload them with information.