Jim Burns is dedicated to equipping parents with the tools they
need to educate their children about sexuality with a firmly
Christian worldview. Well known for his resources such as The
Purity Code for teenagers, Burns has now turned his hand to
colorful, age appropriate resources for children.
How God Makes Babies is his offering for the 6-9 age group, though
some parents may choose to read only parts of this book to their
children or delay reading it with their children until they are
older - depending upon their life circumstances and individual
children.
Opening with a special note to parents Burns states:
"Studies show that when children receive values-centered sex
education at home, they are less likely to become sexually
promiscuous and more likely to have a healthy view of their bodies
and relationships."
This is certainly one key reason why some gentle sex education
should take place even in the younger age groups. There are many
others as well - glorifying God through our obedience to His plan
for sex, educating our children so that they are prepared to resist
inappropriate sexual activity that they may otherwise fall prey to
due to ignorance, and many others.
God's plan for sex should be treated respectfully and in age
appropriate ways - thankfully How God Makes Babies certainly makes
this task easier for parents by being able to open a book, read,
and discuss it with their children. I had read through parts of
this book with my oldest daughter when she was younger (6 or 7),
but I didn't read through the entire book with her until she showed
signs that she needed to understand a fuller picture of human
reproduction.
Our discussions together had slowly been becoming more detailed -
particularly as she began reading the Bible independently each day.
Her questions from Bible readings naturally led into some gentle
explanations. We have always told our children in very simple terms
that mommies and daddies cuddle together in a special way that only
married people do, and that is where babies come from.
When my eight-year-old told me that bulls jump on top of mommy cows
and stretch out their pee-pees inside of them (courtesy of a
similarly aged relative of ours - sweet girl - and I didn't mind at
all), I knew we had to get a bit more detailed in our talks
together. I wanted to be the one to provide the more nitty-gritty
details, not someone else. How God Makes Babies provided us with
the next step to take in our discussions.
Filled with birth color photographs, How God Makes Babies always
places sexuality firmly within the realm of marriage as a normal
expression of marital love, for which I am very thankful. Simple
anatomical drawings illustrate the differences between boys and
girls while using correct anatomical terminology. Protecting your
private parts from inappropriate touches is briefly covered. A
straightforward, facts focused explanation of the act of marital
intimacy and conception is provided along with photos of sperm and
egg coming together and the newly dividing embryo. Developmental
stages of a baby in-utero are illustrated and described, followed
by a description of birth, and explanations of how a new baby
changes a family. There are also provisions made for diverse
families that may be made up of different configurations than two
parents and children (homosexual families are not depicted).
Adoption is also covered.
This is absolutely a fabulous book for when you are ready to share
more deeply about sexuality with your children. It can be tempting
to put off these conversations, but they are vitally necessary to
imbue children with a proper, God-honoring view of sexuality.
Remember - sex is not bad, it's a natural part of life, don't be
afraid of sharing about its proper, God-appointed role in life with
your little ones.
Reviewed at quiverfullfamily.com