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I remember swearing up and down that "MY kid will never have a damn pacifier"...5 days after we brought my son home, I was at Target buying every conceivable shape and size in hopes of finding something that would help sooth my inconsolable son. There were so many other things I thought I would or would not do that went right out the window (and for many good reasons). People say parenthood changes everything...and it does. Each child is different and your positions sometimes change.
My point is that there is quite often a disconnect between the hypothetical and the real. The importance of that distinction becomes amplified when it revolves around the most important thing(s) in your life. I like the idea of an enlightened sensibility when it comes to teaching my children about their sexuality, but I must always balance that against their safety. I hope I know when the "right" time comes, but it is not something I can predict. When it comes to sexuality...something that has now become literally a life and death issue...I plan to move cautiously and hope to get the timing right. When it comes to things that are not nearly so important (i.e. teaching them about death, politics, the imperfection of their parents), I can afford to make mistakes.
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