It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and Maria was in the kitchen preparing a pot roast for dinner when her 8-year-old daughter Lily came skipping in.
“Mommy, can I ask you something?” Lily said with an inquisitive look.
Maria smiled and put down the knife she was using. “Of course, sweetie. What’s on your mind?”
Lily fidgeted a bit before asking,
“Where do babies come from?”
Maria paused for a moment, considering how to explain this delicate topic. “Well, you see, when a mommy and daddy love each other very much, they get married. And one night, they go into their special bedroom and…”
She trailed off, wondering if she should use childproper terminology. Deciding to keep it simple, she continued, “They kiss and hug in bed.”
Lily’s brow furrowed in confusion. “But what does that mean?”
Taking a deep breath, Maria said:
“It means the daddy puts his willy in the mommy’s belly. That’s how a baby starts growing in the mommy’s belly.”
“Oh!” Lily’s eyes went wide with understanding. But then her face scrunched up again.
“But the other night, I got out of bed because I had a bad dream. I went to your room and daddy’s willy was in your mouth. What do you get when that happens?”
Maria’s cheeks flushed crimson as she searched for the right response. Finally, she managed an embarrassed smile.
“Jewelry, sweetie. When that happens, the mommy gets jewelry.”
