Birds and the bees 2013 version

I recently stumbled on this photo on my FB personal page. As a mommy blogger, I just found it downright funny. I shared it and immediately some friends thought so too. I think it is the tech age's version of the classic birds and the bees story when kids start getting curious how babies are made.

I tried to look back and remember what my folks' response was to me when I asked them this dreaded question. I can't remember anything! I believe I was already in elementary when I began understanding reproduction and became enlightened. Now that my daughter is three, she is becoming more and more inquisitive until one night, while I was putting her to sleep, she asked me, "Mama, saan galing ang babies"? Believe me, it beats the work of an alarm clock because after I heard her question, my brain immediately went to fifth gear. Yikes, heaven help me come up with a respectable answer - pronto!

So I told her that Mama and Daddy love each other (which made my skin crawl by the way) and prayed to Jesus to give us a baby. He heard our prayers and gifted us with a cute baby girl that stayed in Mama's tummy for nine months (then counted 9 on her fingers) until she was big enough to be born and that's how Leia came to be our baby. I then shifted the topic by saying that Mama and Daddy loves her so much and so does everyone else so she has to be a good and obedient girl. All she said was "aaahhh..." and fell asleep. I'd like to think that  she was happy with my response - for now.

When Leia asks me hard questions, I can easily tell her to ask again when she's older and I'm ready but I'm afraid it will douse her inquisitiveness until she would no longer ask me questions again. If only I can tell her that she's downloaded and everything will be okay. However, parents have the responsibility to nurture a child's natural curiosity by answering them appropriately. Lately I've been asked other thought-provoking questions like why there are storms (especially during typhoon Pablo), where does rain come from, why are there bad guys who kidnap kids, why people die, etc. I take a deep breath and become animated when I give my answers. I also try to at least come as close to reality as I can with my responses because I don't want to be confronted one day by my daughter over my dishonesty.

Such are the joys and challenges of motherhood - kids catching you off-guard with their questions. It is both cute and scary I tell you. But is it really them or us adults who are not yet ready? Would love to hear your thoughts. :)