Mom, am I gay?

It seems like the conversations that come up with my six year old are awfully mature these days. I am positive when I was six I was not aware of any one's sexuality or that there was conventional or unconventional sexuality. This is the conversation McKayla and I had on Sunday.

McKayla: Mom, sometimes Jaide (friend from school) kisses me on the lips.

Me: Ok, I am a little bit worried about that because of the germs and I don't want you to get sick.

McKayla: Colby said that because Jaide kisses me on the lips I am gay.

Me: Did Colby tell you what gay means?

McKayla: No.

Pause

McKayla: Mom, he didn't tell me what gay means. What does gay mean?

Me: Gay is where if you are a boy you like boys and if you are a girl you like girls.

McKayla: Mom, am I gay?

Me: You don't have to worry about being gay. When you are six you need to worry about germs and when you are six you are not old enough to kiss anyone on the lips so turn your head when Jaide wants to kiss you so she gets your cheek.

Ok, this conversation has been a long time coming. Being around older siblings and cousins exposes her to vocabulary she would not have heard otherwise. There seems to be a litany of comments in our home by the older kids about things being "gay" or Justin Bieber being "gay". Austin's favorite way to bother Kristin these days. Needless to say I had some time to adjust to the idea of this conversation. I am not sure I handled it the best but I didn't feel uncomfortable having the conversation and hopefully that was conveyed to my impressionable little child.