Best age to have "the talk" ??

[Jade]

I'm having a son and I was thinking I'd let him make his own decision on circumsion, what age do you think I should talk to him about it. P.S my mum thinks I'm crazy and should just have him done because we go to the beach allot and his gonna get sand stuck in it.

[Going Hooded]

Your mother doesn't understand the value or function of the foreskin.

I think you start young to teach how to care for his intact penis.

I think 14 - 15 years old is when I would talk candidly about circumcision. But leave it for him to choose as an adult.

In reality much of his friends will be intact.

[z726]

I live near the beach. When I go swimming, there's always sand that winds up inside my swim trunks and on my skin, but never under my restored foreskin. It clamps onto the glans tightly enough at the end that nothing can get in. If sand did get under the foreskin, I suppose I could rinse it out. That's not at all difficult.

[Rood]

Jade ... I've spent over ten years studying the issue of age and awareness of the penis among boys ... and I can assure you that many if not most boys become consciously aware of the penis, and of the difference between the intact and the cut penis by age three (3) ... or at least by age five (5). Almost every "circumsexual" I've ever chatted with has told me similar stories ... Thus, you would be more than wise to introduce your son to the fact that the intact penis is natural and normal beginning at age one (1). Any later and he'll pick up things from his peers, and with that you will have absolutely no control over his feelings about the difference. The best way to do that is to interact with him normally, during the day, while you are naked, so he can see your intact penis.

The first thing you and your wife must learn is to never, ever retract your son's foreskin ... and you have to be almost brutal about insisting that his doctor, paediatrician, and every member of the medical profession who might come in contact with him also must refrain from forcibly retracting his foreskin. Get it in writing.

And tell your wife that the foreskin of a newborn infant boy is firmly attached to his glans penis, much as the eye lids of kittens are attached to their eyes. In some cases a boy's foreskin doesn't detach until he's in his teens. I've actually read a statement by a man whose foreskin didn't retract until he was in his early 20's ... So tell your wife that your son will probably have MORE problems with his penis if his foreskin is forcibly retracted, and even more if it's torn from the glans and amputated. There are extremely dangerous germs found in hospitals, among hospital staff, and among visitors to paediatric wards ... that would just love to infect your son through a raw and bloody penile wound.

If the boys penis must be washed ... wash only the outer skin, and never immerse him in bubble-bath suds. In fact, he should be showered only. Soaps tend to get into every genital fold, where they tend to kill the friendly, protective strains of bacteria. When they are killed off by harsh soaps ... the region is open to infection by bad, harmful bacteria. Ask almost any girl or woman.

[dragons]

I'm having a son and I was thinking I'd let him make his own decision on circumsion, what age do you think I should talk to him about it. P.S my mum thinks I'm crazy and should just have him done because we go to the beach allot and his gonna get sand stuck in it.

When your son is ready to have it. Your son is just that: Yours who cares what your mother thinks? If sand was a problem for a Foreskin I'm fairly sure we would be hearing much more about it, in all my time talking to parents I have never ever heard one raise such a thing.

[Smertrios]

Nothing short of robbing himself sexually unless he isn't going to be having sex =/. I really liked the quote I read the other day in a circumcision thread... “It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” ― Mark Twain... If I were talking to my son about circumcision it would be a warning not to be pressured into doing something like circumcision. The more I know "the more I have lost" so its a double edged sword to get educated about the foreskin (aka prepuce). In my particular neck of the woods and at the time I was born mothers went to the hospital and quite often if they gave birth to a boy they took him to another room and brought him back circumcised without any permission whatsoever in fact they would have to be told not to and sometimes they did it anyway. That is what my mother told me (I am 42 years old). Chances are even if they asked for permission she would have consented and I asked her why and she said "its just what they did back then"... WTF!

As for that sand comment that is something some women say to be mean to men and/or ignorant if they believe it... I think they are crude and uncaring either way!

[LookingGlass]

I've sometimes thought about what if I had a son. I've heard people say people should be allowed to get themselves cut if they want to, but I could never figure out how I'd say "go ahead if you want to" without adding, "but be prepared for (negative social/physiological consequence)."

[Nomad]

I discovered circumcision was bad when I was in my teens. Also I talked to this to my parents (mostly to my mom) about circumcision and the negative effects. Showed them youtube videos too. My parents were sorry but I forgived them since circumcision is very embeded in our community.

I have a 9 year old little brother whose still intact, which my parents are not planning on circumcising him. I'll talk to him when his 11 when he starts middle school so he wont give up to peer pressure.

I'm glad I am more informed of circumsion. I told my other siblings bout it and they understand. My outside relatives think Im weird talking about it. Well at least I can stop this stupid custom happening in my family and to all the other kids in my family that will be born.