This is what I was saying on another thread, and I wholeheartedly agree with @Simone_De_Beauvoir‘s answer. I indeed depends on what the child can psychologically and emotionally handle. Kids mature at different rates, which I why I said that there would be no judgement from me if Mrs. Johnson told her 3 year old, while Mrs. Smith told her 13 year old. I have my THOUGHTS on that, but no judgements.
At two years old, my (now 11 year old) daughter walked into our bedroom one night BEFORE we realized she was able to climb out of her crib and asked, “What’s that stinky smell?” Of course, hubby and I knew it was the scent of sex. To a child, it WOULD be stinky. Instead of telling her the truth, we asked her if she was okay. She obviously came to us for a reason. At two years of age, she was incapable of remembering the answer, so why bother?
At three years of age, my (now 5 year old) daughter asked us why the golden retrievers were playing leap frog. We let it slide (mostly because we were doubled over in gales of laughter and were gasping for air) and changed the subject. She has not the attention span to even pay attention long enough to hear the answer, so why bother?
It’s not that I am uncomfortable in the least! Nor do I see sex OR maturbation as a dirty act. My 5 year old has been humping her teddy bear since she was 1 year old. It wasn’t until 3 days ago that she finally “got it” my message (once again, we had this talk) and could remember mommy saying that, if she wanted to do that, she simply needed to do it as a private act, in her room with the door closed. No embarrassment, no shame or humiliation, just love and acceptance.
She is so randy and so forgetful that we expect to have our first grandchild from her in about 10 years….....0.o