There is a moment in my life that I will never forget: my older daughter asked me to explain the number 69 to her since all of her friends laughed at it, and she was confused as to why. As we sped down a highway that was quite congested, she and her younger sister were seated in the backseat of the vehicle. Neither of them had reached the age when they could sit in the front seat.
Amy
“A fact that is also a question” – nailed it!
Geometry Dash
Absulutely me in some cases, I’m not a parent but sometimes I still don’t understand teenage language although I used to be one of them
LKB
Why does the trail of socks have to be a thing? Because it’s DEFINITELY a thing in my house. (But only the 10 yo; the 13 yo leaves a trail of La Croix cans.)
Heather
Well, this is validating to read since I have a10yo and 13yo too and the trails of socks and La Croix cans crisscross our house!
Amy
Nailed it!
Louisa
My daughter — at age 7 — asked what “nookie” meant. I explained. She said she couldn’t wait to tell her friends that she knows what the “n-word” means. I explained again.
Cheryl
Last year my second grader came home whispering about knowing the b-word. Beach. The whole class thought it was beach. We live in Florida , approximately 15 minutes from the ocean. We did not explain.
Ceridwen
100%!
CCR
I have a 7.5 year old and I don’t know how to explain Ina very non explicit wait. Guys, I am not ready !
Sarah
Awwwww. My son is 9 and this all really tracks. I feel like I’ve been having a harder time connecting with him lately, so I appreciate this common language. ❤️
Ana
Honestly, an age-appropriate book with appropriate explainers on common teenage sex slang would not be a bad idea!
fgb
I thought these books were excellent, they have them for different age groups http://robieharris.com/?page_id=186
Joy
I’ve been watching parks and rec with my 8yo and we pause it whenever there’s a joke or phrase he doesn’t know (condom, for instance) – it gives me the opportunity to have intermittent, light hearted chats with him about stuff he’s probably already curious about, at an age before he becomes too embarrassed to listen or ask questions. I feel like it’s demystified a lot and opened the door for us to talk about stuff really factually, and we also just enjoy watching the show, so we’re having fun!
mado
Wow, Joy, I love this perspective on P&R. I love that show and recently introduced it to my 10-year-old on a flight but I was really taken aback by sooooo many sexual jokes and innendos. Love the idea of using it as a conversation moment.
fgb
When my son was about 12 he opened his first account for a game he and his friends were playing, his chosen name included the number 69. I asked him how he came up with the name and he explained it was a character and a number. I asked him how he chose that number and after some hesitation he told me it was “a position”, I asked him if it was a yoga position, a political position? He sheepishly said it was a sexual position and that he would go ahead and change his user name. He was shocked I knew what it was as he thought his friends had made it up. I also used it as an opportunity to explain that, while it’s a very popular position with tweens it’s enjoyed by few adults. He’s in college now and still laughs about it!
CCR
🤣
Peach
This is such a fantastic story. This summer my teenager realized that her GRANDPARENTS knew what a menage a trois was… it was delightful. The range of facial expressions! hahahaha!
Tammy
I will never forget when my older daughter asked me to explain 69, because all her friends laughed at it and she didn’t know why. We were hurtling down a very busy highway, she and her younger sister in the backseat, because neither of them were big enough yet to sit up front. Despite the fact that we taught them about sex early and had always been open, I balked at first. Until they both pushed and I knew that being honest with them was the only choice. They were appropriately GROSSED OUT, but at least they knew. We can’t protect them from what’s out there in the world, but we can let them know we’ll always be straight with them.
Maydo
This reminds me of an early memory of being a little kid and asking what erection meant—my mom’s face! But I was reading some instructions for a toy or something, so there was extra confusion on both our parts.
Katie kelley
This is EXACTLY what happened and how we told both of our kids what it meant. They thought the 6 and 9 were a butt and boobs, boy were they surprised when we set the record straight. Guess what? When their friends laughed about it again later and my daughter replied “I don’t think that means what you think it means.” and another girl responded meanly “oh yea, then what does it mean?” and my daughter told her “well, you should ask you parents.” I was pretty proud.
Hanna
❤️
erin
I will never forget when my dad taught me a similar lesson in the car. We were driving and my father who NEVER swears yelled co** $uck3r after he got cut off. I demanded to know what it meant but he refused to tell me. I told him that if he didn’t tell me what it meant, I would ask my teacher. He told me and I instantly regretted it. Live ‘n learn.
Alexa
Erin, I am laugh~crying right here in this coffeehouse omg
Comments
24 commentsThere is a moment in my life that I will never forget: my older daughter asked me to explain the number 69 to her since all of her friends laughed at it, and she was confused as to why. As we sped down a highway that was quite congested, she and her younger sister were seated in the backseat of the vehicle. Neither of them had reached the age when they could sit in the front seat.
“A fact that is also a question” – nailed it!
Absulutely me in some cases, I’m not a parent but sometimes I still don’t understand teenage language although I used to be one of them
Why does the trail of socks have to be a thing? Because it’s DEFINITELY a thing in my house. (But only the 10 yo; the 13 yo leaves a trail of La Croix cans.)
Well, this is validating to read since I have a10yo and 13yo too and the trails of socks and La Croix cans crisscross our house!
Nailed it!
My daughter — at age 7 — asked what “nookie” meant. I explained. She said she couldn’t wait to tell her friends that she knows what the “n-word” means. I explained again.
Last year my second grader came home whispering about knowing the b-word. Beach. The whole class thought it was beach. We live in Florida , approximately 15 minutes from the ocean. We did not explain.
100%!
I have a 7.5 year old and I don’t know how to explain Ina very non explicit wait. Guys, I am not ready !
Awwwww. My son is 9 and this all really tracks. I feel like I’ve been having a harder time connecting with him lately, so I appreciate this common language. ❤️
Honestly, an age-appropriate book with appropriate explainers on common teenage sex slang would not be a bad idea!
I thought these books were excellent, they have them for different age groups http://robieharris.com/?page_id=186
I’ve been watching parks and rec with my 8yo and we pause it whenever there’s a joke or phrase he doesn’t know (condom, for instance) – it gives me the opportunity to have intermittent, light hearted chats with him about stuff he’s probably already curious about, at an age before he becomes too embarrassed to listen or ask questions. I feel like it’s demystified a lot and opened the door for us to talk about stuff really factually, and we also just enjoy watching the show, so we’re having fun!
Wow, Joy, I love this perspective on P&R. I love that show and recently introduced it to my 10-year-old on a flight but I was really taken aback by sooooo many sexual jokes and innendos. Love the idea of using it as a conversation moment.
When my son was about 12 he opened his first account for a game he and his friends were playing, his chosen name included the number 69. I asked him how he came up with the name and he explained it was a character and a number. I asked him how he chose that number and after some hesitation he told me it was “a position”, I asked him if it was a yoga position, a political position? He sheepishly said it was a sexual position and that he would go ahead and change his user name. He was shocked I knew what it was as he thought his friends had made it up. I also used it as an opportunity to explain that, while it’s a very popular position with tweens it’s enjoyed by few adults. He’s in college now and still laughs about it!
🤣
This is such a fantastic story. This summer my teenager realized that her GRANDPARENTS knew what a menage a trois was… it was delightful. The range of facial expressions! hahahaha!
I will never forget when my older daughter asked me to explain 69, because all her friends laughed at it and she didn’t know why. We were hurtling down a very busy highway, she and her younger sister in the backseat, because neither of them were big enough yet to sit up front. Despite the fact that we taught them about sex early and had always been open, I balked at first. Until they both pushed and I knew that being honest with them was the only choice. They were appropriately GROSSED OUT, but at least they knew. We can’t protect them from what’s out there in the world, but we can let them know we’ll always be straight with them.
This reminds me of an early memory of being a little kid and asking what erection meant—my mom’s face! But I was reading some instructions for a toy or something, so there was extra confusion on both our parts.
This is EXACTLY what happened and how we told both of our kids what it meant. They thought the 6 and 9 were a butt and boobs, boy were they surprised when we set the record straight. Guess what? When their friends laughed about it again later and my daughter replied “I don’t think that means what you think it means.” and another girl responded meanly “oh yea, then what does it mean?” and my daughter told her “well, you should ask you parents.” I was pretty proud.
❤️
I will never forget when my dad taught me a similar lesson in the car. We were driving and my father who NEVER swears yelled co** $uck3r after he got cut off. I demanded to know what it meant but he refused to tell me. I told him that if he didn’t tell me what it meant, I would ask my teacher. He told me and I instantly regretted it. Live ‘n learn.
Erin, I am laugh~crying right here in this coffeehouse omg