Where children are found: what to answer and why it is impossible to say what they found in a cabbage or brought a stork

What to say to a child

In most cases, mom and dad end upare not ready for such a question. As a result, the baby gets the answer that his parents once heard from their parents. This happened many centuries ago, and it is still relevant today. Over a long period of time, people have come up with different explanations to get rid of the why-whys.Photo: frame from the cartoon "Partly Cloudy" Here are the most popular:

Found in cabbage. The version is common among the Slavic peoples. And the French children know that boys are found in this vegetable. Girls, according to the explanation of their parents, can be found in pink buds.
The stork brings. This explanation is popular among parents around the world. Even where storks never existed.
Buy in the store. In Soviet times, moms went not to the hospital, but to the store. Older children looked forward to their mother with a new purchase. Sometimes children helped to raise money for this.

These versions of children are heard all over the world. True, in some countries there are other very interesting versions, as a rule, applicable only for their locality. For example, in Australia, babies are told that they were brought in a kangaroo bag. In the north, children are found in the tundra in the yagel.

Why did such myths appear?

As for the history of the origin of such legends, researchers have several versions on this matter:

In many ancient peoples, the stork was a symbol of fertility. It was believed that with his arrival the land revived after the winter hibernation.
According to one of the legends, the souls that mustborn, wait for their time in swamps, ponds and streams. Here storks come to drink water and catch fish. Therefore, this "honorable bird" delivers newborns to the address ".
Children from cabbage are thought up because of the ancient tradition to choose a bride in the fall, when the harvest ripens.
The word "cabbage" in Latin is consonant with the word "head". And the ancient myth says that the goddess of wisdom Athena was born from the head of Zeus.

A photo: frame from the cartoon "Partly Cloudy" The appearance of such myths in itself is not surprising. If to explain to the small child, whence he actually undertook, he not only will not understand anything, but also will ask a lot of questions. It is more convenient to tell a fairy tale about a vegetable or a stork, the effect of which is checked by distant ancestors. True, psychologists advise and refuse from the stork. Once a child still finds out the true cause of his birth. If he hears it not from your lips, it may decide that his parents cheated.

Expert opinion

Larisa Surkova, psychologist, PhD and mother of many children:— Answer the baby that he was found in the cabbage orbrought by a stork, in my opinion, is wrong. Usually the question "Where did I come from?" appears at 3-4 years old. Remember the rule: a direct question should have a direct answer, so in this case we say - "Your mother gave birth to you." And without further details, you do not need to start talking about sex at three years old. The next question "How did I get into the stomach?" usually arises by 5-6 years old, and at this age there should be no talk of any cabbage or stork - this is a lie. Then parents are very surprised why their children are lying. And why shouldn't they start doing this when the adults themselves lie at every step?