Answering a child who asks 'The Question'

A recent news report told of a nurse in Wuhan, Hubei province, who won acclaim for the way she taught her 11-year-old son about sex.

I salute her. I recall my own experience when my son was 9 years old. He learned about reproductive cells in a school class and asked me the question parents dread: "How does the sperm get to the egg?" Of course, as a loving father, I did the natural thing, replying manfully and without hesitation: "Go ask your mother."

Fortunately, his mother was up to the challenge. She provided the information in easy, matter-of-fact terms. His first reaction was, "No way! That's disgusting!", but he quickly adjusted to the biological realities. He's grown now and planning to go to medical school.