Suppose that you were repulsed every time you approached a dear friend, your husband, or some other member of the family? Take, for instance, the matter of a caress or an embrace—how would you react to repeated rebuff? And so with the little child; he comes into this world full of confidence and trust, full of wonder and curiosity; possessed with the spirit of exploration and investigation—everywhere and all the time he asks questions. Usually, his questions are answered thoughtfully and without hesitancy, except along the line of one thought—that of sex. Do not think for one moment that he is satisfied by your evasive answers. You have but to recall your own childhood experiences, and remember that today the moving picture show and general public sentiment has placed the age for such knowledge from one to five years earlier in this generation than in the past. I do not care what the child comes into your presence with, be it the most shocking thing in this world, do not under any circumstances let it disturb your mental poise, or raise your ire or shock you; for if you do, then and there—at that moment—occurs a break in the sublime confidence which the child reposes in you.
NECESSARY MORAL TRAINING
While we are using the plant and animal world as object lessons in teaching our children the facts of sex and the secrets of life; while we face the commonplace sex matings of the animals about us without cringing, without appearing to be shocked when our children call attention to these things; nevertheless, when the child is old enough to take cognizance of these phenomena, he is old enough to begin to receive some definite instruction from his parents regarding the moral phase of these great biologic problems. We cannot safely and indefinitely utilize the animal world as an object lesson in sex education, without at the same time emphasizing the moral difference between man and the beast.
Many parents treat these sex problems so lightly and endeavor to act so naturally and unconcerned about these questions, that the child comes to look upon the promiscuous sexual relations of the animal world as something altogether natural; and, unless proper moral and religious training is carried on at this time, he stands in danger of coming to regard lightly the moral standards of modern society.
At the same time of life that Mother Nature fully develops the sex instincts—at adolescence—she also awakens the religious emotions; the one being so necessary for the proper and adequate control of the other. Let parents take a cue from old Mother Nature, and at the same time the sex relations of animals are freely discussed with the growing child, let the mother or father wisely call attention to the fact that but very few of the animals live family lives as do human beings. In this connection valuable use—by way of illustration—can be made of the ostrich and some of the ape family who are loyal and true to their chosen companions.
Moral and religious instruction must accompany sex-hygiene teaching just as soon as you leave the realms of botany and enter the sphere of zoology. We could here relate many a tragic experience which our patients have passed through as a result of volunteering too much sex knowledge and at the same time neglecting this very necessary moral instruction.
SANTA CLAUS AND THE STORK
We must bear in mind that the child believes what we tell him; he trusts us implicitly and we owe it to him to teach him the truth in answer to his numerous questions. We must keep his confidence. Take the matter of Christmas, for instance. How many confidences have been broken over the falsehood of Santa Claus and the chimney. Two little fellows hesitated in their play in the back yard, and the following conversation was heard: "You know that story about Santa Claus is all a fake." "Sure it is, I know it isn't so, I saw my father and mother filling the stockings. You know that stork story is all a lie too, there's nothing to it, babies don't come that way, and now I'm investigating this Jesus Christ story, I suppose that's all a fake too." The fact of the matter is, that while these children have discovered the truth of the first two stories, for a long time they will query the third story, for to them, that too is mysterious and fairy-like. They hadn't seen Santa or the Stork and had only heard about Jesus.
STORY OF THE HUMAN BABY
The story of the human baby may be told to any child of seven to ten years. Each mother will have to decide in her own mind the right time to go into the details of the human baby seed. The child should have had an opportunity to have planted some seeds in the ground, to have visited an incubator, or to have visited the farm and observed the family groups of babies—the chicks, pigs, calves, etc.—with their mothers.