So my son Alex is now eleven and, as such, he starting to grow up into a fine young man. I find him watching more television shows like The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Hannah Montana, and other live action shows on the Disney Channel as opposed to the animated features on Nick and Cartoon Network. He really enjoyed Kid Nation this past summer on CBS and he has taken to watching Big Brother with Amy and me.
Now, Big Brother is typically an adult show and one of the storylines revolved around lesbians. And as we were watching the show, I could see the wheels turning in Alex’s head and I could see the question coming…
“Dad, what’s a lesbian?”
I think I aged a year during the time it took for the sound waves to issue out of his mouth and travel to my ears. Amy and I just looked at each other and I decided to field the question.
I just politely explained to him that most guys like to kiss girls. (To which he replied “yuck!” Hey, he’s eleven.) But there are some girls out there that like to kiss girls and some guys out there who like to kiss guys. I didn’t feel compelled to explain that there are some people out there who like to kiss both… but ladies, if you are out there reading this, send me an email!
Seriously though, I just explained that this was the way that they were made. Some girls just like girls and those girls are called “lesbians.”
And I like to think I handled the situation fairly well.
There are inevitable conversations that you have to have with your kids. Unfortunately, I am afraid that my little boy is growing up and we are going to have to have “The Talk” soon.
Whew.
Well, as the old saying goes, it’s going to be more painful for me than its going to be for him…
Chef: Hello there, children.
Stan: Chef! They found our Sea Men in our teacher’s stomach!
Chef: Good bye.
Now, Big Brother is typically an adult show and one of the storylines revolved around lesbians. And as we were watching the show, I could see the wheels turning in Alex’s head and I could see the question coming…
“Dad, what’s a lesbian?”
I think I aged a year during the time it took for the sound waves to issue out of his mouth and travel to my ears. Amy and I just looked at each other and I decided to field the question.
I just politely explained to him that most guys like to kiss girls. (To which he replied “yuck!” Hey, he’s eleven.) But there are some girls out there that like to kiss girls and some guys out there who like to kiss guys. I didn’t feel compelled to explain that there are some people out there who like to kiss both… but ladies, if you are out there reading this, send me an email!
Seriously though, I just explained that this was the way that they were made. Some girls just like girls and those girls are called “lesbians.”
And I like to think I handled the situation fairly well.
There are inevitable conversations that you have to have with your kids. Unfortunately, I am afraid that my little boy is growing up and we are going to have to have “The Talk” soon.
Whew.
Well, as the old saying goes, it’s going to be more painful for me than its going to be for him…
Chef: Hello there, children.
Stan: Chef! They found our Sea Men in our teacher’s stomach!
Chef: Good bye.
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