The Birds & The Bees
Sep 7th, 2007 by kitliz
Last year when I took my (then 9 year old) brother out to dinner for a little one-on-one time:
Me: Shi… oops! I shouldn’t swear around you.
LittleFish: That’s okay. I know what B-A-S-T-A-R-D means.
Me: Really? What’s that?
LittleFish: It’s means you were born without a dad. [pause] But I don’t know why that makes it a bad word…
Me: Well… actually, I think it just means that your parents weren’t married when you were born. Like, a long long long time ago it who your family was was really important… so it was kind of a big deal. Now it doesn’t really matter if your parents are married or divorced or if you don’t have a dad.
LittleFish: [Chewing his food thougtfully.] But, wait. I don’t understand… How can people have kids if they aren’t married??
Me: [Stunned silence.]
Me: Uh… I’m not really sure. Why don’t we call Dad and ask him?
I am SO not ready to have kids.
Recycling Cabinet
DIY Wine Rack
Ha! That is hilarious!
this sounds like ANY MOM talking! deferring to dad is a mommy’s god given right…
So, today, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a dad??
Aaron: I don’t think the same social sigma is attached to it today as opposed to 50-60 years ago. Something like 35% of all kids are born to unwed mothers these days. In the 50’s an unwed mother was sent to a “maternity home” which was basically like a prison until she had the baby, which was taken away from her at birth to be given up for adoption.
Kind of a lot to explain to a nine year old…
Plus I don’t think the kids of unwed parents are ostracized at all any more… the actual meaning of the term “bastard” doesn’t hold any significance, except for that we all know it’s meant in a derogatory way. That was actually a pretty astute observation to come from a fourth grader!