Woman Educates Curious Kids On Dog Anatomy And Breeding, Gets Scolded By Their Mom For Not Using Kid-Friendly Vocabulary

“I responded to the kids using proper terminology, but their mom thinks I crossed the line.”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• September 27, 2023

In today's world, conversations about our furry friends can sometimes take an unexpected turn, especially when curious young minds are involved. Take this recent encounter between a new homeowner and her inquisitive neighbors as an example.

The OP (Original Poster) of this story found herself in a situation where three enthusiastic neighborhood boys, full of youthful curiosity, were eager to learn about her rescued pitbull, Pancake.

However, Pancake's physical appearance, bearing the marks of her past hardships as a breeding dog, sparked a series of questions that led to an unexpected parental intervention.

When the kids innocently asked why Pancake's stomach looked different, OP chose honesty, explaining the difficult life Pancake had endured. As the conversation continued, she found herself explaining concepts like breeding and the purpose of certain body parts, leading to a swift but stern interruption by the children's mother.

The mother's reaction, though understandable, left OP wondering if she had crossed a line. In reality, she had responded truthfully and compassionately to the children's queries, using accurate terminology.

However, she may not have considered the need for a more kid-friendly vocabulary when discussing such topics.

Ever since the incident, the mom has kept her kids far away from OP and Pancake. Apparently, she now views OP as a person who is capable of “corrupting” her kids.

In OP’s words, “The Mom has actively prevented the boys from coming over to see my dogs or talk to me, and has completely ignored my existence.”

OP decided to bring the matter before the court of Reddit to find out where she went wrong. Scroll down to see the final verdict.

The story in detail

A little background

As soon as OP brought her dog home, this is how the conversation went with the 3 boys and their mom

Final bits of the conversation

Since the incident, the Mom has stopped her boys from coming around OP and her dog

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

“Some people are afraid of words and teach their children to be as well.”

“You gave clear straight forward answers, and it was the mother that was weird and uptight.“

“As a professional childcare worker, NTA. It’s just the name of a body part.”

“There's nothing dirty about the word vulva.“

“Far better to teach a child the proper terminology so there is no confusion.”

“Nothing you said was wrong, but still, that is all just... a lot to tell kids that aren't yours.”

Another angle

“They’re little kids. Be vague, but truthful, and redirect them.“

The Reddit community is torn on this issue. While a majority feel it’s ideal to use the right terminologies for body parts around kids, a few others think OP should have been more hesitant and probably redirected the kids to their mom for further explanation.

It’s sad that the mom now sees OP in a negative light. But we do hope that they can get back to talking terms. Pancake needs her friends back.

We’d love to get your thoughts on this story. Join the conversation in the comments.

Jesse