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I was watching a daytime TV programme about Asian food with my 10 year old son. One of the presenters said while looking at a very nice piece of fresh tuna "I just had a sushigasm"

My son asked me what sushigasm means.

I had to pause and consider my response. I felt that explaining the origins of the portmanteau would lead us into another conversation that I'm not ready to have with him just yet.

I then thought of simply saying that he means he was very excited about the sushi. But this led me to speculate that my son may take it upon himself to add the offending suffix to other words in school and other places. That would clearly be inappropriate and it would be difficult to explain to him why, leading to confusion.

I ended the situation by just saying that it's hard to explain but I'll have a think about it.

How should I explain the meaning of "sushigasm" to my ten year old son?

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You might simply say the television persoality was comparing the food to having sex (unless your son had been incredibly sheltered, he's probably heard that much at school from older kids or his age peers, or even watching kids cartoons), and go on to say that the chef was very rude about his choice of compliments. It is related to, and offensive for exactly the same reason and to the same degree as using the "F" word.

Ten is usually when parents start having THAT conversation with their kids. I agree that jumping in on that phrase is not a good approach, but if you don't start that conversation soon his friends will. Heck, the schools is going to have that conversation with him in the next 12 months (USA) Some boys are well into puberty by the time they hit eleven, and the girls tend to be a couple of years earlier.

If you don't make a big deal of it, he is more likely to treat it as just another adult description that doesn't make sense on its own, and it provides an opening to start that conversation while you still have a modicum of control.

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    +1 for recommending not to delay “THE TALK” any longer. (Actually, imho, it should not be “the talk”, but part of an ongoing discussion whenever the topic comes up.) Btw. in Germany, “THAT” is part of the curriculum for 3rd graders. At least for the first time and in a general context of “our body”.
    – Stephie ♦
    Commented May 26, 2018 at 16:03
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    I agree with Stephie. Same where I live, part of the school curriculum for 4th graders. Also, he's ten. He might already have experienced his own orgasms, without connecting it to anything sexual and without knowing the word to describe the feeling. It's not so unlikely, some boys discover masturbation quite by accident at an even younger age.
    – Pascal remembers Monica
    Commented May 26, 2018 at 19:28
  • Let him watch Big Mouth
    – Roy
    Commented Jun 5, 2018 at 17:10

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