When Is Too Young For Kids To Learn About Sperm Donors?

Amber Robinson

The re-release of a children’s book about conception and birth has seen hysterical headlines splashed across the tabloid press.

Where Did I Really Come From? offers children simple, non-judgmental explanations of sexual intercourse, assisted conception (DI, IVF), pregnancy, birth, adoption and surrogacy, and is aimed at children from 2-12.

news.com.au called it a ’sex instruction book’ and claimed that it features a drawing “of two gay men holding a baby in a chapter about surrogacy.”

So?

The fact it, it is legal in Australia for gay and lesbian members of the community to become parents. And of course, it is not just gay parents who utilise assisted conception techniques, adoption and surrogacy. So why not have a book available to help explain to the children brought in to the world in ‘untraditional’ ways, how they were conceived and born?

While the book is suitable for toddlers in terms of the language used, there is no pusher handing the book out to young kids on the street. Most parents seem to address the curly question of where babies come from when prompted by their kids. Some canny children may start asking questions early – and it’s  parents prerogative how much they want to share.

While the usual ‘family advocates’ (read conservatives) claim that the book “devalues the traditional family unit”, they are speaking after the horse has bolted. Families have changed. Children continue to be loved. Not to provide them the same information that is afforded to children in nuclear families is discrimination.

Would you borrow this book from the library for your children?