The moment we all dread has arrived. Last night, my partner and I found ourselves in a compromising position when our child, Alex, unexpectedly walked in on us. We weren’t sure whether they had been lingering by the door for a while or if they just happened to enter at the wrong moment, but when they squeaked, “I can’t sleep,” we instantly froze.
After what felt like an eternity, Alex added, “And yes, I can see you.”
Well, that was a clear signal. We quickly disentangled ourselves and covered up as Alex climbed into bed with us. Within minutes, they were sound asleep, while my partner and I were wide awake, staring at the ceiling and cringing over the awkwardness that had transpired.
The next morning, we decided it was time for a mature discussion as a united front. We sat on the sofa, smiling and holding hands, while Alex focused on the morning cartoons.
“Good morning, buddy. We wanted to chat about, um, last night,” I began nervously. “You might have seen something that could be confusing, so we thought we’d see if you had any questions?”
“Are there any more granola bars?” Alex replied, eyes glued to the screen. Yet, we pressed on, determined to seize this teaching moment.
“Sometimes, parents like to have private time together in bed,” I explained cautiously.
“Sometimes in other spots too,” my partner chimed in, but I quickly interrupted to steer the conversation.
“We love each other a lot, and sometimes we express that love by being close, sometimes without clothes. It’s a natural part of how adults show affection for one another, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Right! It’s like a special occasion, not something that happens every day—like a solar eclipse. If you look directly at it, it might be blinding!” my partner added, trying to contribute positively.
“Remember that book we gave you about how babies are made?” I continued carefully. “Well, we weren’t making a baby last night…”
“Definitely not,” my partner assured Alex.
“Can you imagine a newborn? No, thank you,” I said, half-joking. “But sometimes, we do the things mentioned in that book because we care for each other. It feels nice and is completely normal.”
“Sometimes, parents go off the script,” my partner quipped. “I doubt that reverse cowgirl was in that book.”
“Sometimes Mom does some unusual sounds, like a dolphin,” I added awkwardly.
“Yes, and sometimes Dad sweats so much it feels like a seal is involved,” my partner joked. I shot him a look, but he continued, “But it’s all part of being together.”
Suddenly, Alex interrupted, “Are there any more granola bars?”
Clearly, our lesson had not landed as we had hoped.
In conclusion, open conversations about intimacy are essential yet can be incredibly awkward. For those navigating similar discussions, resources like this article from ACOG can provide valuable insights, while Make a Mom’s guide offers practical tools for understanding family planning. For further information about privacy and how we handle your data, check out our privacy policy.