Sharing the News with Children

by Carol Jordan

Explaining the process to children is easier than you think.

Whoever came up with this statement never taught preschool while pregnant! You must remember that many of these children have never been exposed to a pregnant person on a regular basis. Many of these children have never seen a person's belly grow that much in such a short period of time. Many of these children are too darn curious for their own good!

I'll have to say that my favorite moment occurred sitting down with the 5-year-olds I was teaching while pregnant with my son. The time had come to tell them I was going to have a baby. They had already begun questioning why I was "getting so fat" and why I always had "to go potty more than" they did.

I had, prior to this conversation, sent out letters to the parents asking their input on the information that would be given to the children. I didn't want to offer what might be deemed as too much information, but wanted to give the best answers possible to all the children. Keep in mind, it was a Christian preschool, so the information we offered there might be different from what you would offer at your home.

The conversation went something like this:

ME: Kids, I have something exciting to tell you. Are you ready to listen?

THEM: Yes! Is it a surprise? Did you buy us popsicles?

ME: No. I didn't get popsicles. I have a special secret to tell you.

THEM: Can't you just tell us the surprise?

ME: Do you remember how we talked about God loving each of us and that he put love into our hearts so we could share it with other people?

THEM: Yes.

ME: Do you remember we talked about the fact that we will never run out of love because when we share love it gets bigger instead of smaller?

THEM: (getting impatient) Yes.

ME: Well, God has decided that it's time for Dustin and me (they knew my husband) to have another person in our family to share our love. He's given us so much love that he decided we needed another person to help hold it all.

One Child: Who? Madeline?

ME: No. Not Madeline. This is a new person; one not yet born.

ONE CHILD: Who is it?

ME: It's a baby -- a very tiny baby who is waiting for a special day to be born.

ANOTHER CHILD: Where is this baby?

ME: It's in my belly. That's why my belly is getting so big.

THEM: Silent, thinking.

ASSISTANT TEACHER: Giggling silently in the corner behind them.

ME: Do you have any questions? (My first big mistake)

ONE CHILD: How'd it get there?

Of course I expected this. This was the reason I had sent the letters to the parents. We had together formulated an acceptable response to every question they could possibly ask.

ME: God put it there.

CHILD: When will it come out?

ME: October; before Halloween.

CHILD: Is it a boy or girl?

ME: We don't know yet. I'll let you know when I find out.

CHILD: How's it gonna get out?

ME: When it's time I'll go to the hospital and the doctor will take it out.

At this point the children shared their "going to the doctor" experiences and were then ready to go outside to play. They, of course, shared this special "secret" with every single person they saw and took every opportunity to rub and / or listen to my belly. It was all quite sweet.

Then it happened. One dear, sweet, well-meaning child -- honestly, he was quite a handful. He was so sweet, but so stubborn at the same time. To this day I have yet to find a child as wonderful as he was while still being such a stinker. Never was he a thoughtful child -- rather impulsive actually. Because of this, what happened next will stick in my memory as long as I live.

HIM: Mrs. Carol?

ME: Yes?

HIM: How's that baby gonna get out?

ME: I told you. I'll go to the doctor when it's time and he will take the baby out. He knows how to do that sort of thing.

HIM: Mrs. Carol?

ME: Yes?

HIM: How's he gonna get that baby out?

ME: Hun, why don't you ask your mom that when you get home. She's a nurse and probably knows more about it than I do.

HIM: Ok.

The next day...