Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/249754
4D Daily News – Tuesday, January 28, 2014 Teach your kids appropriate terms for personal anatomy DEAR CAROLYN » I am a stepmom and also a professional sex educator. Oh, and I'm pregnant! My 5- and 8-year-old stepkids know nothing about reproduction or even the real words for their genitals; they've been taught to say ridiculous things like dingdong and hoo-ha. I am anticipating questions once we tell them I'm Carolyn expecting. I Hax feel strongly Ask Carolyn that all children need age-appropriate, accurate information about bodies and sex, so butting out doesn't feel like an option. But I also don't want to overstep their parents' roles. Should I push their parents to talk more frankly about their bodies and where babies come from? I've expressed concern before over the hoo-ha thing with my husband and he sort of sheepishly defers to his ex-wife, who came up with the idea. Answer their questions myself? Buy them a book and sneak it onto their nightstands? (Kidding.) — Sexy Step DEAR SEXY STEP » Put a book on your husband's nightstand, one about teaching kids about sex. You no doubt have a book or books you prefer on this topic, but for the benefit of others reading this, I'll say that I find Deborah Roffman's work to be accessible and persuasive. Your husband's sheepish retreat on something so important is bad parenting and doesn't deserve a pass from you. The least he can do is make an informed decision, versus a default one, and using a book keeps it from becoming all about you. Re: The hoo-ha thing: Would it also be acceptable for Sexy Step to say to her husband, "If they ask me anything about the pregnancy (etc.), I'm going to tell them an age-appropriate version of the truth, and I'm going to use the correct words"? — Anonymous DEAR CAROLYN » DEAR ANONYMOUS » I think so, yes, though their having the truth is not as important as the stability of the relationships among their parents. Thanks. DEAR CAROLYN » Re: The hoo-ha thing: As a doctor, the correct anatomical term I use with my 3year-old is who-who. She goes to a (loosely) church-associated school and would say the Virginia word all day long if I taught it to her. — Anonymous 2 DEAR ANONYMOUS 2 » We all do what we think is right. That's our prerogative and imperative as parents. Mine: All my kids went to three religious day cares/preschools (one Episcopal and two Jewish, one conservative), and all their questions were answered using correct anatomical terms, and all of them took great pleasure in using new words of all kinds with compulsive frequency. I'd be concerned about any school that was concerned about a child showing age-appropriate curiosity and language. Email Carolyn Hax at tellme@washpost.com, follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ carolyn.hax or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com. BABY BLUES Jerry Scott & Rick Kirkman ZITS Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman Brian Crane PICKLES Darby Conley GET FUZZY Sudoku Instructions: The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the number only once. SHERMAN'S LAGOON Jim Toomey Answer to Previous Puzzle PEARLS BEFORE SWINE Stephan Pastis Celebrity Cipher By Luis Campos Instructions: Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another. Scott Adams DILBERT BIZARRO Horoscope By Bernice Bede Osol TUESDAY, JAN. 28 Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Investment opportunities will be dubious and unlikely to yield results. Be scrupulous about whom to trust with your hardearned cash. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — It may be a challenge to relate to your partner right now. Listen carefully to his or her concerns, but avoid voicing your opinions. You can't win today. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Investing in property will be your best bet. Make the effort to examine your options carefully. Consider joint ventures. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Romantic opportunities can develop while traveling for business or attending a talk. You can formulate new agreements that will lead to prosperity. Dan Piraro ARGYLE SWEATER Gemini (May 21-June 20) — You can improve your financial situation through carefully considered investments or handling other people's money. Secret goings-on may lead you down an undignified path. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You may see a return on past investments now. You will cherish the company of children if you choose to engage with them intelligently. Self-improvement projects will have a beneficial outcome. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — You will be most efficient if you can work from home today. Catch up on any housework or other chores you have been avoiding lately. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You must take full advantage of any opportunity to travel. Keep your personal life to yourself for the time being. Correspondence is unlikely to reach you on time today. Scott Hilburn Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — You will likely feel extravagant. Your lover may end up costing you today. Avoid lending money or possessions to female friends. Concentrate on your work. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — You should make time to discuss the future with your partner. Short trips or outings will help to ease your communication. You may overreact to personal issues today. Sagittarius (Nov. 23Dec. 21) — Being evasive or avoidant will backfire on you today. Now is the time to come clean and hope for the best. If you are imprecise in your communication, you will be misinterpreted. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Someone may try to undermine you today. Be clear and direct when talking to superiors or colleagues. Don't leave any room for misunderstandings. NEA Crossword