Should parents tell children adult jokes?

Yes

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by Cynthia Davis

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Absolutely. What better way to bond with your little one then sharing blond girl jokes over a steaming cup of hot cocoa. Or lulling them to sleep with a few rigorous choruses of, "There once was a girl from Nantucket."

I realize that my opinion goes against everything that people hold virtuous in this world, and perhaps my opening paragraph pushes the example to the extreme, but I would disagree that shielding your children from the facts of life is helpful to them in the long run. I can only speak from experience here, but really, what else does a person have to go on?

My parents raised me in a sheltered home. Sex was a four letter word, and anything I learned about the subject either came from the streets or by pressing my ear up against my parents' door at night. I was incredibly curious to find out all I could about such a huge taboo, and my curiosity eventually led to a lot of experimentation that was detrimental to my health, both physically as well as mentally.

Later, when I had my own children, I was determined not to raise them in the same manner. Sex was discussed frankly and openly and I made a point of including them in most conversations, even if the occasional off-color remark was made. As a result, neither child grew to be curious about the topic. They're both well-adjusted adults who have been praised by many for their respect for others.

I believe that any time you keep a subject in the dark from children, it only urges them to want to know more. Studies have been done on overweight adults, and there are those who claim that they were denied sweets as a child. Once they were old enough to be in control of their diet, they found themselves almost addicted to candy and chocolate, and feel that, had they been given the odd treat as a child, they wouldn't have been as likely to over-indulge as a grown up.

The same can be said for the subject of drugs. The only words my parents ever uttered on the subject was "Don't do them." They never said why or what the consequences were. I was so curious to find out that I couldn't wait to try them. I don't need to go in to detail to explain the consequences of that action.

My kids, on the other hand, were able to learn from my experiences. By the time they were old enough to understand, I made sure they knew exactly what different drugs were, how they made you feel, and the long-lasting implications of taking them. They never felt the lure of forbidden fruit, and both chose to be non-users.

I don't think there's a handbook written that tells parents the right or wrong way to raise their kids. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut instincts and hope for the best. But in closing, I don't believe a few dirty jokes are going to ruin your children's lives.

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