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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Do You Respond Or Avoid The Question?
jodi 04:07 AM 07-09-2011
When you are changing a child and another child of the opposite sex comes along and asks questions - how do you respond?

And I'm not sure this is allowed but so funny. Yesterday little girl (3) comes by while I'm changing little boys diaper. She says "I don't have a penis. My brother has a penis. My dad has a big one."
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meganlavonnesmommy 04:58 AM 07-09-2011
I was changing one of my 2 year olds (african american boy with very dark skin), and one of the other 2 year olds came along and pointed between his legs and said (oooo, yucky, poop). He was clean, it wasnt poop, but I suppose to her she thought it was. :-)

I usually ignore situations like this, or say something like "yep, everyone is made differently". Then direct their attention somewhere else.
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nannyde 05:07 AM 07-09-2011
We have a by invite only zone where we change diapers so the kids are trained not to come into that piece of real estate unless they are invited. So they are not close enough to the kid being diapered to see much.
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cheerfuldom 06:27 AM 07-09-2011
yes, I don't have kids come close to the changing table either, and one at a time in the bathroom. Right now we have all girls so its not a problem but previously we had a few boys. if they have those questions, they are directed to ask mom and dad. If my children have questions, we talk about it after daycare.
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kidkair 07:32 AM 07-09-2011
I answer every question a child asks me as honestly as possible. If you answer the question and talk about private parts while they are little they may have a better understanding of it when they get older and respect others' privacy more because they are not curious since they already know. I run all the kids through the bathroom one right after another and they tend to cross each others paths every so often. I also change the baby in front of the little ones so they can get their curiosities out. I don't let school aged children cross paths with the little ones or babies and the school agers shut the door during their time. The little ones asked about this and I let them know that as they get older they need more privacy and less help. Whenever they want they may ask me to leave the room and they may ask to shut the door. As long as they don't goof off and make a mess they can ask again and again. All the kids I have currently are very respectful of others during bathroom time and have got all their questions answered to satisfaction.
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TBird 07:33 AM 07-09-2011
I do a combination of responding and avoiding, LOL! I usually say he/she wants some privacy please....my group are not big question askers...mainly "Eeeeew" and stuff like that.
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SilverSabre25 07:52 AM 07-09-2011
I also do a combination of answering and avoiding: "That's his/her boy/girl parts. Now who wants to sing a song?"
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Unregistered 10:07 AM 07-09-2011
Don't comment on the comments

And by all means give the changees some privacy!

I hate the full view change areas. So uncool. I visited a school where these were on camera...ok...so protect from abuse, but um hey....the cams were live online!
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sharlan 10:56 AM 07-09-2011
I don't make an issue of it.

I'll say something like, "That's his penis or boy parts." Or for a girl, "That's her girl parts." Then I quietly redirect. I don't remember having to answer that question very often.

I've had more people question Mongolian birthmarks because many look like bruises on the small of the back.
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jodi 11:10 AM 07-09-2011
Thanks everyone. I did respond to the little girls comment with "that is right. run and play now" (Of course I knew her comment about daddy was totally meant it in an innocent 3 year old manner - but I thought it was so funny - I did good though and did not even smile). But was curious how others handled questions. If she had directly asked me a question I think I probably would have diverted attention and mentioned it to mom so she could tell me how to proceed if it happened again.

My changing area is in a main area, but it can't be helped as there is no other place to put it where it functionally works. I do normally shoo everyone away until it is their turn - but it happens sometimes. When anyone is potty training or old enough to go alone it is one at a time in the bathroom - but they all try and hover in the hall. (They are all little 2's and are interested in the potty)
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Abigail 11:14 AM 07-09-2011
All of our kids and under school age. We have about six diapers to change and about six-nine older kids who need to take potty breaks all in the same thirty minute time frame. We start to change the babies first and then those with older siblings in care will get changed while the sibling is using the toilet(funny, all same-sex siblings in our care at the time). We started to only change siblings while they were in the bathroom as well because one child wouldn't go the bathroom. He would just stand and watch you change a diaper and it was annoying.
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jojosmommy 06:15 PM 07-10-2011
My dcks have asked and I use the appropriate terminology and move on. MY son is aware of what parts he has but has yet to understand that girls don't have the same parts. I figure they have to learn somehow, why not in an appropriatly supervised/monitored way.
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mrsp'slilpeeps 09:02 AM 07-11-2011
Originally Posted by jodi:
When you are changing a child and another child of the opposite sex comes along and asks questions - how do you respond?

And I'm not sure this is allowed but so funny. Yesterday little girl (3) comes by while I'm changing little boys diaper. She says "I don't have a penis. My brother has a penis. My dad has a big one."

Oh dear!!!
I just tell the kids to go play and to mind their business!
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daycare 09:07 AM 07-11-2011
Originally Posted by jodi:
When you are changing a child and another child of the opposite sex comes along and asks questions - how do you respond?

And I'm not sure this is allowed but so funny. Yesterday little girl (3) comes by while I'm changing little boys diaper. She says "I don't have a penis. My brother has a penis. My dad has a big one."
lol that is tooo funny!!!

I just confirm their answers if they are correct, yes you are right. I don't get detailed about it and try to just be basic about it.

I usually let the parents know that little susie was asking body part questions today. Just in case it happens to come up. Some times when kids tell stories, they come out wrong....lol
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youretooloud 09:10 AM 07-11-2011
I had that same conversation with a kid the other day.

But, I wasn't really paying attention.

So, I answered "I know" LOL.... she said "How do YOU know?".

Then, I scrambled to comprehend what she said and she had said "My daddy has a big ol penis".

That's what I get for tuning out.
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Sugar Magnolia 10:30 AM 07-11-2011
Geesh, talk about tough questions! We have a mom here who is pregnant. Little girl asks her "how does the baby come out?" The mom says "oh I will go to the hospital and the doctor will help the baby come out". Girl later comes up to me and says "well how did the baby get in there then?" LOL! :-o ! I just smiled and said "that's a very complex question!"
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