I find that when I pick my son up from school and try to start off a conversation about his school day it goes something like this...- How was school today?
- Fine.
- What happened? Anything exciting?
- Nuthin’
- Nothing happened all day?
- Nuthin’
- All day?
- Nuthin’
So sometimes I go for the silent approach hoping that whatever is going on in his mind will pop out. Tonight it went like this.
- Girls get periods, dad. And they’ve not to worry if they see blood down there.
- Oh. Right. You got told this today?
- Yup. (some giggles)
- What else did you learn?
- Welllll, if the penis (he makes an elaborate show of pointing at my groin)...
- I know where it is, son.
- (giggles) if the penis and the vagina ...he searches for the right word...collide
- Collide? (I’m giggling now)
- Some stuff comes out. Sperm. I can’t believe I got it wrong, dad (more giggles)
- Got what wrong? They test you on this stuff?
- Sperm gets made in your BALLS, dad. (He loves saying this word and says it at every opportunity). Each sperm is about the size of a grain of sand. And there’s MILLIONS of them. (I’m sure he’s now got an image of filling a sandpit from his penis.)
- You realise you don’t do these things until you’re in a committed relationship?
- Yuk (he blows a raspberry)Don’t worry, dad (he reaches over and pats my hand) I’m not doing that. Ever.
