"Let me tell you 'bout the Burt's Bees and the flowers and the trees and the moon ..." (Sorry, there were NO "birds and the bees" photos in the Tulsa World's photo archives.)
I don't remember how I learned about the birds and the bees.
Perhaps it was first from that song "The Birds and the Bees" my mom used to sing with me as a kid. You know, "Let me tell you 'bout the birds and the bees and the flowers and trees and the moon up above -- and a thing called love." Lord, all those ands are exhausting.
Beyond that, though, I never had THE TALK. Whenever there would be one of those "special episodes" of "Punky Brewster," "Facts of Life" or "Diff'rent Strokes," and one of the adults would have to broach the subject of S-E-X, I'd secretly pray that it wouldn't lead to a similar convo with Mom and Dad. Thankfully, it didn't.
Then again, I was extremely sheltered growing up. Maybe my parents knew I was too much of a nerd to get into any real trouble. Or, for obvious reasons, I at least wouldn't be knocking anyone up.
But we also didn't have any kind of sex-ed in any of the schools I attended in Mississippi, Alabama or Florida. I'm assuming that's changed because kids seem WAAAAAAAAAY more knowledgeable about a wider variety of subjects, including those S-E-X ones.
Today, I heard about Rep. Zachary Wyatt, the Republican Missouri House member who announced that he's gay AND is calling on GOP leaders to end legislation that would limit discussion of sexual orientation in public schools. I thought that was interesting.
Some of you who read me are parents -- most, perhaps. I'm not, unless cats count. So what do YOU prefer:
1. Would you rather a teacher in your kid's classroom instruct your child about sex?
OR
2. Would you rather teach yours kids the birds and the bees yourself?
Peace, love and B-E-E-S ... XOXO
