Monday, April 11, 2016

Too Soon?

I went to a new gynecologist today (I know, but it's relevant to the post). She was going over all of the basics, and asked if I had ever had the HPV vaccine, Gardasil. I explained that by the time it got popular, my doctor told me I was too old. She asked if any of my children were girls and if so, how old was she. Yes, she's 9. She asked me if I had considered getting the vaccine for her. I was stunned. "Of course not! She's only 9! We haven't even had the sex talk, much less considered a vaccine for an STD. Are parents actually doing that this early? I can't even wrap my head around that". If I wasn't stunned enough already, what she said next nearly made me fall off the table...."What I can't wrap my head around is that I had a 9 year old girl on this same table last week telling me that she had already had three sexual partners. We need to start having these conversations earlier and earlier". I took the pamphlet that she offered on my way out.

Nine years old. Three sexual partners. Let that sink in for a minute.

I don't about your children, but my nine year old still spends hours playing with her Monster High dollhouse and trying new nail polish designs. Sure, there have been moments where my immediate thought is, "Whoa, kid, slow down!". I've noticed that she likes to try and wear outfits that I think are too old for her, that she'd give her right arm for me to let her wear make up out of the house. I know that these conversations are coming, and they have to be had. But.....she's nine. My mom never had "the talk" with me, proper. She answered questions that I would ask....and those questions didn't start until I was 12.

When did you have "the talk" with your kids? What was your approach? Is 9 years old too young to receive a vaccine for STDs? Let's hear it!

No comments:

Post a Comment