Some Helpful Books

So, a while ago I shared how Olivia has been introduced to the birds and the bees in the schoolyard. Yes, I know this is common, however it is NOT common for SECOND graders to talk about SEX!!! I was floored and so not happy. She has one friend I'm not crazy about, for this and other reasons. I'm extremely blessed though that Olivia comes to me, talks to me, confides in me, and looks to me for guidance in these areas. Blessed! But, the whole sex conversation, I needed help.

I found a few GREAT books through another blog and ordered them recently.

One I gave to Olivia. She POURS over it! She LOVES it! She sits by me on the couch and "hides" it from the boys while she reads it. We talk about it - when the boys aren't around - and she thinks she's so cool. :) The book I gave her is The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls. It's an American Girl book which she thinks is cool too. This book talks a lot about health and cleanliness and changes that will happen during puberty. The biggest of these of course being the ... PERIOD. :)

The second book I got is called The Wonderful Way That Babies Are Made. Love this book! It has two sets of text on each page. One is a little larger and is meant for reading to children ages 3 and up. Olivia and I have read this together already. I must admit, I have a hard time saying words like "sperm." :) But even this "younger child version" uses this vocabulary. I love it though because it talks a lot about God and His plan for us as His creation. It also has a few pages talking about adoption, and talks about how Jesus was adopted by Joseph. The older child text goes into more detail both physically and spiritually and Olivia and I will get into that in not too much longer I think.

The third book I think I will really like too. It's called What's the Big Deal? Why God Cares About Sex. I like this because it's like a conversation between kids and parents and the book even suggests that a child/parents read it sort of like a play. I like the discussion because it's very real to where kids will be. It talks about why some people think and talk about sex so much, but also about how God wants us to view sex. BUT - a "disclaimer" - there is a chapter on AIDS and HIV that I do NOT like how it is presented. Am I saying there shouldn't be a chapter on this, no. But, this book says things such as most people who have HIV contracted it through breaking God's commands. (Sex outside of marriage and extreme promiscuousness) OK, that is NOT my child, but yet that WILL put those ideas in her head. We WON'T be reading that chapter. I may just yank it out. :)