If you're a parent, you will eventually be asked this question. If you have small children and you're wondering how to explain it to them, I'm going to share with you how I explained it because it's worked out well for me, and people I've told this to have said I should definitely share it. In my opinion, it's a perfect way for your kids to understand at their comprehension level, it makes them feel really special, it leaves all the adult details out until they're ready for more detail, and it's a nice way to bring God into it.
If you like it, you can use it. If you hate it, you can flush it from your brain and pretend you never read this.
So, here goes, with 2 versions. The 1st version is what I told my oldest child when he was the only child. The 2nd version is what I modified it to when I had a daughter and then explained to her.
Note: I'll include modifications for how you can modify this for an adopted child or for single parent home.
First and only child version:
Question: Mommy, where did I come from?
Answer: Well, after mommy and daddy were married we decided that we wanted a super special baby. So, we prayed to God and said "God, we really want a baby to take care of. Please send us the most special, most wonderful baby from heaven." So God listened and looked all over Heaven for the most special baby, because all the souls of the babies are up there waiting to be born, and he said "Hmmmmmmm, where is the best baby?" (And I would look around and tap my chin like I was really thinking hard while I was telling this part) Then He saw you, and said, "Now, THERE is the most special baby, and is JUST RIGHT for this mommy and daddy". So, he took a little bit of me, and a little bit of daddy, so that you'd look like us, and mixed it up with your soul, and then stuck your soul in my belly so that I could grow a body for you. Then, after my belly was done making your body, you were ready to come out. So, we went to the hospital, and the doctors took you out of my belly, and here you are!
I got the idea for this explanation from a Shirley Temple movie I watched when I was little, called Blue Bird. In one part of the movie, Shirley Temple's character travels to Heaven, and she meets her future sister. And all the other babies that are waiting to be born. This always stuck with me.
Second child version (changes in italics):
Question: Mommy, where did I come from?
Answer: Well, after mommy and daddy were married we decided that we wanted a super special baby. So, we prayed to God and said "God, we really want a baby to take care of. Please send us the most special, most wonderful baby from heaven." So God listened and looked all over Heaven for the most special baby, because all the souls of the babies are up there waiting to be born, and he said "Hmmmmmmm, where is the best baby?" (And I would look around and tap my chin like I was really thinking hard while I was telling this part) Then He saw you and your brother, and said, "Now, THERE are the most special babies and they are JUST RIGHT for this mommy and daddy". So since you were both just right for us, God asked you both, "which of you two want to go down to your mommy and daddy first?" Well, your brother raised his hand and said he was ready, and you said you wanted to go, but you were in the middle of playing with the angels, so you would let him go first. So, He took a little bit of me, and a little bit of daddy, so that your brother would look like us, and mixed it up with his soul, and then stuck his soul in my belly so that I could grow a body for him. Then, after my belly was done making his body, he were ready to come out. So, we went to the hospital, and the doctors took him out of my belly, and then we had him!
Well, after a few years, we said, we love this first baby so much, that we're ready for another one to love, and that can play with the first baby and be best friends. So, again, we prayed to God and said, "God, we are ready for another baby, so, please find us the most special and most wonderful baby in Heaven to send down to us." So, God looked all over Heaven for you because He knew you were the best baby in Heaven for us, and then when He found you, He asked you, "Now are you ready to go down to your parents?". You said, "Yes, now I'm done playing with the angels, and I'm ready to go." So, He took you a little bit of me, and a little bit of Daddy, so you would look like us, and mixed it up with your soul and put you in my belly. Then, I grew a body for your soul, and when your body was done, you were ready to come out. So we went to the hospital and the doctors took you out of my belly, and here you are!
Modifications:
Okay, so that explanation works for our traditional situation, but it can easily be modified for any other situation.
Adoption: We prayed and prayed for the most perfect baby for us, and God knew He was going to give you to us, but that someone else had to make your body for us. (You can explain why however you want, or whatever makes sense for your situation. For me, I would just say because my belly couldn't make a body, or something like that. But every situation is different.)
Single parents: This doesn't have to be that different. I guess just leaving out the part about "after we were married" if that makes sense. It all depends on your situation.
So, how did my kids take these explanations? They love it, and they talk about it, and my daughter will say things like, "Was I here yet or was I still playing with the angels?" Makes me melt!
A special thanks to my Auntie Mary, who used to watch my sister and I all the time when we were little, and she loved Shirley Temple movies, so she would play them for us. So, it's because of her that I came up with the perfect explanation for where the kids came from.