Two important recommendations for parents of 5-7 year old daughters.

• Start early to teach your daughter about her reproductive system so she will be prepared for the changes that are coming.
• Teach her through tiny bits of information I call the 7-minute talk.

Young girls, 5-7 years old, have an inquisitive mind and are not embarrassed to talk about their body. But, they also have a short attention span. That’s why I like to recommend the 7-minute talk. It’s perfect for them. And it’s easy for parents because you only need to teach your daughter one small concept at a time.

Here’s an example of a 7-minute talk topic you can use with your daughter.

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Begin with a question: Did you know that a baby grows in the mommy’s uterus?

Your response: You can use this anatomy figure to show your young daughter that a baby grows inside the uterus. The common way of describing where a baby grows is in the tummy. This can be confusing to young girls because they know food also goes into the tummy. It’s a good idea to start early and plant the idea that the reproductive system is a special part of their body and even though mommy’s tummy gets bigger when she is pregnant, the baby is growing in a special place, the uterus.

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By the time you ask the question and look at the anatomy figure, your 7 minutes is almost up and they are ready to go do something else. Keep your talk age appropriate. There is plenty of time to fill in the details as they grow up.

These small talks with your daughter over the next few years add up to a lot of learning on her part; but maybe even more important, they become the foundation of an open relationship between you and your daughter. It will be natural to have spontaneous talks as they mature and you will treasure that.