Has anyone ever explained "gay" to their kids?

[Jennidisneyfer]

Well DDfer of course gets it but not only that, she gets irked with anyone who is not anything but 100% accepting of gayness. (Is that a word?)

Smallgirl knows what gay is but seems to be confused and even uncomfortable about it; not sure why. We'll talk more.

The subject has never come up for the 7yr. old boy and babyboyifer is just too young to know any diff one way or the other IMO.

[Nephythys]

She has even picked out her red shirt - to respect all those that have different tastes!

Ok- that just struck me as funny- she picked out her red shirt (to look like everyone else) to respect those with different tastes....

Just funny.....

Kids find out on their own-at least mine did. Davis had real issues for a while- and I would take pleasure in telling him that the man he was chatting with in line at the picnic- was gay. It showed him in a real world moment that people are people....he doesn't have those issues anymore- neither do the younger ones (though Rose is fairly oblivious to the whole thing)

They've learned (or are learning) to treat people with respect- no matter who they are. It is one thing to disagree- with anything, it is another to mistreat someone for those differences.....

I think they are doing very well-

[stinkerbell]

Courtney has a boy friend in the fifth grade who is most definitely gay, and she adores him. I'm sitting here smiling, thinking, ah, just like her mother! My little hag.

We have had some talks, actually. Especially when there was so much news in our city about gay marriage (it was legal here for a period of time) and the girls had a lot of questions.

Courtney grew up in our old small town until she was 8, and we were friends with two lesbian couples there who had kids her age. One of those couples is now buying our rental from us, actually! So she had questions from an early age. But it was no big deal to her. My college roommate is gay and she's always been around him. My best friend is bi, and Courtney met one of her girlfriends and understands that now she's marrying a man. She's been very accepting of all of it.

Cassidy was oblivious to the gay couples we knew....we had our talks when the gay marriage subject came up. She's confused, but she's such an accepting child, I think it won't be a big deal for her.

Chloe however. She's four. She has said over and over again that girls should be with boys and that's that. Eh. We have time. She's my little conservative-to-be. My very own Ann Coulter.

[DMof2]

I remember last year asking my son who was 10 at the time if he knew what being gay/homosexual was. He was like "Yeah Ma" it's like the same thing as being a lesbian. I was on the floor hysterical laughing!!!

I told him that everyone has different feelings and you can like/love whomever you want. We have several friends (and a family member) that are gay and it's just very normal to us.

I don't know if my daughter (7) fully gets it yet but I'm sure she will without us having to explain it.

[dsnylndmom]

If you ask Shawn what being gay means he says "boys that like boys, like Dave and Jeff" that's usually followed by "I miss Jeff, when's he going to visit" He also start Disguy "mrs. Aaron" on his own, who knows why.

When Kyler and I talked about it a couple years ago he said "boys who kiss boys and girls who kiss girls" They have both been raised around quite a few friends that are gay and are quite used to it, it's like an everyday thing for them.

In fact, Kyler's not happy with me because I'm going to Gay Days "without him AGAIN" this year and he says that he wants to go and be with his friends at Disneyland for Gay Days and wear a red shirt to show he supports them tooo" (this is said in whiny 11 year old voice)

[Olympicnut]

I called my other niece who has an almost 2 year old and asked her the same question, when the time comes how will you explain what gay means to Kaitlin. She pondered it for a moment and said, "What an interesting question because I've never even thought about that. You (me) being gay isn't a big deal to any of us so we don't really see it as being weird or odd or strange or anything like that, it just is what it is." That made me smile

Can I just say what a cool bunch of moms and dads we have here? I wish more parents were like you all, with kids as cool as yours, then maybe there wouldn't be so much hate in this world. Maybe when all your kids are old enough to run this country we wont all be so bad off in so many ways and people will let everyone live life to its fullest with the people that they WANT to live with equally.

Hugs to you all!

[Morrigoon]

O-nut: Society doesn't change immediately. You reach the younger generations and then wait for the old ones to die off... but it DOES happen eventually

[Nephythys]

Chloe however. She's four. She has said over and over again that girls should be with boys and that's that. Eh. We have time. She's my little conservative-to-be. My very own Ann Coulter.

You know what though- even if she thinks that her whole life, she can still treat people with respect and love.

I know you would instill that value no matter what-

[Morrigoon]

Well, I don't think my sister really understands.

Very reacently I had a friend over and we were in my bedroom making out. My mom got home with my little sister and she opened the door and just giggled. My mom didn't really care that I had someone over but she was none to happy to get to explain that brother likes boys.

My sister was like, "Oh" and just went off to play barbies.

Sweetie, you coulda been kissing a girl and she'd still giggle. That's what little sisters do.

[LuvsLilo]

O-nut: Society doesn't change immediately. You reach the younger generations and then wait for the old ones to die off... but it DOES happen eventually

Thank goodness.

[MiceMan]

Sweetie, you coulda been kissing a girl and she'd still giggle. That's what little sisters do.

Damn them! But that's her in my avatar! Isn't she the cutest??!!?!

[jessdogg420]

I have 2 girls, 7 and 5,and a boy 9 months.If it comes up,then I'll tell them to treat them just like anyone else.My kids watch just about whatever,and I don't try to shield them from alot of stuff.I'm Mexican and German,and I have friends of all creeds and colors.Everybody is like their extended family.Just remember,ignorant people make ignorant children,whom become ignorant adults.

[OogieBoogie]

My 2 nephews and my neice (7,3, and 2) have an aunt (my sister-in-law's sister) who's lesbian and has been with her partner since they were born. The 7 year old now realizes that love has no boundries and isn't phased by it. I imagine that the 3 and 2 year old will grow up thinking the same.

[Jennidisneyfer]

You reach the younger generations and then wait for the old ones to die off

I just LOVE that.

[Morrigoon]

jdfer: Sadly, I'm not kidding. It's a known fact that "the bulk" of older generations will not change their attitudes much, so paradigm shifts in attitudes often come with reaching younger generations, then waiting for the older one to die off before they can really be "mainstream" attitudes.

Remember, there are still people alive who have issues with interracial dating. But they're increasingly in the minority as more and more of them die off. Soon, probably in the next 20 years or so, it won't be old people and whackos who hold those opinions, just whackos.

And yes, it will take the course of our lifetimes for gay marriage to become fully acceptable in mainstream culture, but it's well on its way, and it WILL happen.