A child asks dad, “Why are your breasts so small?”

Questions from children

I am sure the question in the title of the post, “Why are your breasts so small?”, has raised many eyebrows. Actually, this is the question Dear Son asked me today. Dear Son is four years old. As his Dear Dad, I was not sure what to answer. I am sure all parents have some strategies in answering children’s questions that are difficult to address.

The first possible answer

When Dear Son asked me the question, too many strategic answers flashed through my mind within a blink of an eye. The first one is, “Boys have small breasts and girls have large breasts.” Complications of this answer also popped up immediately. What if Dear Son goes to his pre-school tomorrow and starts telling his teacher, “Boys have smaller breasts and girls have larger breasts”, assuming that his teacher might not be aware of this important piece of information. This might be an information that our neighbors might be missing as well. Dear Son might consider it his responsibility to teach everyone such an essential finding.

The second possible answer

The second answer that I though of was a little bit based on how I can take the opportunity to encourage Dear Son to eat more vegetables. 🙂 The answer I thought of was, “I did not eat much vegetables when I was little and that did not allow me to grow my breasts any larger than what I have now.” My brain short-circuited by a few possible consequences. What if Dear Son eats vegetables and keeps expecting that his breasts will grow. Or, what if Dear Son says that he does not want big breasts and he stops eating whatever amount of vegetables he consumes now. The third consequence again relates to his responsibility to teach everyone how to grow breasts.

A third possible answer

The third answer I thought of is, “Moms have large breasts and dads have small breasts.” While this is a fact but it will raise more confusions. Fatherhood does not necessarily lead to smaller breasts. Everyone with breasts is not necessarily a mother either.

The answer given

After a few embarrassing moments, I looked at Dear Wife with a help-seeking face. She helped me out — “When girls grow up their breasts also grow. Breasts of boys do not grow as much.” Dear Son just said, “Oh” and started to play with his puzzles. It appeared, he did not care much about the answer.

Concluding remarks: What is your experience regarding children’s questions that are hard to answer? Do you have any suggestion on “yet to come” harder questions?

Settle in El Paso team



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Comments

86 thoughts on “A child asks dad, “Why are your breasts so small?”

  1. A straightforward, honest explanation actually seems like it would be the most appropriate here. I would probably explain the purpose of breasts and how they’re designed to provide milk for babies. I don’t think it would be a difficult concept for a child to grasp.

  2. My brother had a son and he’s 3 yrs old now, I’m not that close to them because I’m busy of my work but his son is always playing with my daughter. When I got home I spotted the kids playing in the garden and accidentally heard their conversation:

    Nephew: know what I ask my papa why is he having a flat chest and my mom had a big chest.
    My Daughter: (Quietly listening and starring at him).
    Nephew: and he told me he has super powers and he can make things flat as long as he like!
    My Daughter: Smiles 🙂 (like she understand everything :O)
    End of Convo-

    Now I think of my brother as a crazy guy telling my nephew he has super powers. hahaha…
    Now my nephew loves to act like he has the same power as his father.. My brother save the day! lol

  3. Kids now are very intelligent and you can’t easily twist their mind. There are cases that we don’t respond to their queries urgent because we’re thinking for alternates especially if the topic is very sensitive. It is our responsibility to guide our kids in better understanding different things as they grew up. Don’t expose them so early to the things that may affects their knowledge at younger age.

  4. Kid’s are so curious that if you gave them an answer to their questions they will definitely answer you back “WHY”. Sometimes depends on the way we act and our gestures when answering their queries. Parents sometimes act, talk like their kids specially those only child for the benefit of playmates. So, it’s better when mother’s answer questions related physically.

  5. Kids will ask almost everything they want to know and understand even that though that sometimes it is none sense cause there are times that those questions can make a lot of sense. When we grow up we lose that kind of curiosity. When everyone doesn’t lose that kind of curiosity I feel somehow this world is bit better place.

  6. I have a 2 yr old kid and he is starting to notice everything. When he saw his mom using a make up or a lipstick he will try to do it to himself as well. Basically he will touch everything that will get his attention. As a Father I can see my son getting curious in his environment. Everything is new to him. I guess it will be an opportunity for me to teach him and have a Father and son bonding time. I love this post!

    1. I agree. This is an adorable time. All times are perfect to connect with the baby. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Have a wonderful week.

  7. I remember asking my dad about this when I was kid, but unfortunately, I can’t remember his answer. I guess maybe I found his answer satisfying that I didn’t wasn’t compelled to go to my teacher for clarifications. That would have been beyond embarrassing. Kids tend to ask too much questions and parents have to be ready to give them questions that would both be acceptable to their age and wouldn’t be too safe that they would misunderstood the whole idea.

  8. Hilarious! Never did my kid ask me about that but if in case my toddler would I think the best answer is just to tell them the truth. Making up answers would definitely lead to another question and makes the kid more interested. By telling the truth it might save you more questions. But what if the kid is just to curious? Then I guess the answer your wife made would be useful!

  9. Your post was funny, this time I have laughed but I think our kids are asking the craziest things in the world. The answers are good and I must admit I would never be thought of such an answer. We must be ready to answer them anytime they have something to ask, their curiosity must be satisfied at any time!

  10. My child is four months old. A couple of years later, I am sure I will be faced with similar questions. If I had not read this article and a child asked me this question, I would have said grown women have large breasts. However, after reading this article I have the right answer. As a parent, we need to get prepared with embarrassing questions.

  11. I just can’t get tired of reading your post. There’s always some level of humor to it. Kids are generally curious and ask way to many questions. I’ve had my own fair share of moments like your experience above.

    At one time, my four year old brother came to me and asked who GOD was. I can’t even remember my explanation, but I was able to satisfy him. He went on playing like nothing happened. Several minutes later, he appeared in front of me. Here we go again I thought to myself.

    How does God punish people? I didn’t know where to begin with. How do I explain this to him? I held his hand and walked him to mum’s room then whispered to his ears. Go ask mum, she knows everything.

  12. I might not have an answer for such question if my little son would think of asking that in the future. I mean that is a question that I might have to think of calling 911 to get an answer for. You’re lucky your dear wife helped you out on this. As simple as she put the answer, it is correct. You have got a brilliant wife there!

  13. Kids are full of questions about everything in life. They even ask difficult and awkward questions, but we have to divert some topics because they can’t understand even if we explain it. Its funny how curious kids get and they have the innocence.

    1. Agreed. Sometimes it is hard to answer them but they won’t understand even if we give the actual answer, as you said. Have a wonderful week.

  14. Ha ha you have provided great answers. Children ask innocent questions that we cannot ignore. I, in my childhood days had asked my dad such innocent questions. I still laugh when I remember those questions and the answers given by my dad.

    1. Glad to hear that you had wonderful memories around those questions. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Have a wonderful evening.

  15. I don’t have kids. I’m still 18 so it might be a while before I have to worry about questions like this. I’m sure a lot of parents dread these types of questions because you just don’t know what to say. How do you explain things like how babies are created or why girls have larger breasts to little kids? The best thing is probably to just give a kid-friendly explanation and then give a much better and proper explanation when they are grown up.

  16. I guess, we just need to give them a very deep answer so they won’t bother to ask us any more about that kind of question anymore. Hahaha! But the real reason why man doesn’t have a breast or why a man does have nipples is that when we’re starting to develop in our mother’s womb, in the first several weeks, male and female embryos follow the same blueprint, which includes the development of nipples. However, at about six to seven weeks of gestation, a gene on the Y chromosome induces changes that lead to the development of the testes, the organ that makes and stores sperm and produces testosterone. That’s my two cents.

  17. This is one of the reasons why I preferred talking to children sometimes, they are too innocent and beautiful that you just want pinch their cheeks. They make life more bearable than adults lol

    1. Haha … definitely kids bring the joy and fun through their innocence. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Have a wonderful day.

  18. Answering a plain and simple is the best way to deal with that kind of situations. Well it kind of embarrassing for us but for them they were only curious.

  19. It’s very funny. Kids have questions that is so straight to the point and hard to answer. An example is when they ask “where do babies come from?” and “how are babies made?”. That is hard to answer.

    1. Ah … those questions. I am a bit scared when I will be asked those questions. I really do not know how to proceed with the answers to those questions.

      Thank you for visiting and commenting. Have a wonderful weekend.

  20. What an amusing story. If I were in the same situation, I would have probably struggled for an answer as well. At times, the most basic things such as those deemed as common sense are the toughest questions to answer. Add in the fact that you are dealing with a kid, it gets a lot more trickier. You can’t exactly get too technical as it is too much for the kid and you can’t be too simple about it either.

  21. I really don’t understant those parents who respond with fantabulous stories. I see, they’re kids, but I think just being sincere and truthful. Kids are more clever than we think, and I can’t imagine a better person to explain the nature of things than their own parents. Cheers!

  22. To be sincere here, I was attracted to this post because of the topic. I give you a thumb up!
    Honestly, children love to ask questions, they want to know why ‘this is this’ and ‘that is that’. Before, I do normally wonder how children learn a new language very fast when they are among their peers.The reason is that their brain is still very young and they want to fill that box up. So when they ask any question we must not lie to them we should just tell them the plain truth because they are eager to learn and teach anything if they see the available time but while giving them the answer to their questions,it must be given according to their level. I can still recall the day my kid asked me where does baby come out from in a mother, I reasoned within me that “where on earth does this girl get that question from?” I said when it’s time to deliver the baby, the mother will just go to the hospital and the doctor will help to take the baby out from her stomach.

  23. Funny and sensitive at the same time,Children would always be inquisitive and curious.They want answers to all questions even when they might not still understand the answers. Well,For me I tell them the fact and the truth that is it.

    1. Yes, a child’s version of the truth is the most effective one. ? Thank you for visiting and commenting. Have a wonderful weekend.

  24. I was once told to always remember “KISS” Keep it simple stupid. I always seem to forget that when answering my kids’ questions. I always make it too complicated when all they want is a simple answer. Great story by the way!

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