correct answers

[marcwilliammoffatt]

My wife and I look after a male child of eight years of age on his holidays and when his mother is stuck for child care etc.
Recently he asked me a question, here goes., child, were do cherries come from, my answer was this, well birds may eat the cherries and the will poo the cherry stones on the ground were they will grow into cherry trees and if your lucky when the trees grow up they will flower and then there will be cherries.

I am 57 years of age and have two adult children of 25 and 30 that have gone through University and are doing well, I must have done something right! The child looks up to me as a father figure. His father was killed in action, (British Army). So there are no other males in his life, just my daughter and his mother.

I have been told that I was out of order to give the child that sort of information, I begged to differ as the child is very bright and has an enquiring mind, his brain is like a sponge and I feel you should not beat about the bush with answers. Am I wrong?

[SylviaFiesta]

Of course you were correct in giving this 8 year old the answer you gave.  My 2nd graders have been taught this in school for heaven sake.  The boy is asking a question and wants a real answer - not some baby fied - half truth. Since there are several possible ways a cherry seed can find it's way to the soil and grow into a tree - I guess you could have simply said the seeds fall to the ground...but your answers is far more interesting to an 8 year old = more "food for thought" as it were...and will make the boy think a bit. I bet he will not forget the lesson and he will be the wiser for it!

Sylvia F

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

You did fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with how you replied to him. The information you provided him is certainly one of the possible answers to his question.