May 22, 2023

Ask Margaret: When Kids Ask Embarrassing Questions

What do we do when our kids loudly observe other people's differences in public? Curiosity may be normal, but the outcomes can be mortifying.

"Mommy! Why does that person look like that?!" Kids are naturally curious, and as recent guest Meg Zucker reminded us, it's not possible to program kids in advance to always fall in line with adults' preferred reactions.

It's important to have the conversation early with your kids about how it's ok to notice people's differences but pointing them out in public can hurt people's feelings.

It also helps to make your home a safe space to talk about kids' curiosities about a classmate, or someone they saw at the park, so they understand that people come in all shapes and sizes—and that the things we say, if we're not careful, still have the power to hurt others' feelings.

Bodies are Cool by Tyler Feder is a great book that shows kids bodies come in a lot of varieties and they all deserve to be celebrated.

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