Alexandra as Empress and Mother

[Michael HR]

It may be that he just had no concept as boys in that age were boys a lot longer than they are today. 13 is young and maybe girls just had not yet intrested him.

The daughters were growing up but never got the chance to break free and have a life of their own, sadly. It is nice to think they were all innocents in the world.

[Russka Princess]

yeah i know that Alix didn't like it if the girls flirt with soldiers she didn't know.  the girls could only flirt with the soldiers, at home, sailors , who Nicky and Alix know.

 Alexei has  friends and i think they knew it too, and they has talk about it with Alexei, of course when he was older like 13.

[Imperial_Grounds]

It may be that he just had no concept as boys in that age were boys a lot longer than they are today. 13 is young and maybe girls just had not yet intrested him. 

I don't think he was intrested in girls by that time, but we have to remember he started his teens and might have been wondering what happened to him, I mean 13 year old boys were seen as children back then, but when Alexei became a teen, and noticed that his body was changing, he might have had questions about it. And in my opinion you can't see Alexei as a child anymore, I mean most boys start puberty when they are about 12, and I see Alexei as a teen therefore. And back to the girls, I think they might have known some things about sexualty and those kind of things, since there is no doubt that they had questions when they got their periods for the first time, and I think there was no way to keep things hidden for them then.

[Raegan]

i knew that alix, didnt wanted that girls spend time with their russian cousins,like xenias sons. Cause they has many freedom, and  they could do what they want.

Actually, Nicholas and Alexandra's children did spend time with Irina and the boys. It wasn't everday, however it also wasn't unusual for Sandro, Xenia and their children to visit with Nicholas, Alexandra and OTMAA. Grand Duchess Olga wrote in her diaries about being in the company of Irina more so than many people think.

As for as what Alexandra may have told them in regards to sex, I'm not sure anyone will ever know. The children's diaries are pretty innocent when it comes to the opposite sex. For example, Grand Duchess Olga's 1913 diary is full of entries about her infatuation with a certain man, but again, it was pretty innocent. I seem to recall a letter Alexandra wrote to Nicholas asking him to be sensitive and understanding to Olga's feelings for a young man. This may have been in one of the letters they exchanged during WWI.

[Aliss_Kande]

Well, and in that day an age, some girls didn't receive "the talk" until the day before they were married, which must have been such a shock to the bride (if she was as sheltered as the grand duchesses seemed to be).  And even then, they might not have received the "facts of life".   Marie of Romania started having morning sickness about 2 weeks after she got married and was informed that she was pregnant.  I guess she had never put two and two together before.

[scelli@swbell.net]

Well, and in that day an age, some girls didn't receive "the talk" until the day before they were married, which must have been such a shock to the bride (if she was as sheltered as the grand duchesses seemed to be).  And even then, they might not have received the "facts of life".   Marie of Romania started having morning sickness about 2 weeks after she got married and was informed that she was pregnant.  I guess she had never put two and two together before.

For those interested in reading about a young woman's budding interest in boys as she enters puberty: I highly recommend reading (or re-reading) The Diary Of Anne Frank...not the tamer and highly edited one you've most likely perused in grade or high school, but the Revised Critical Edition.

This incredible work is available in bookstores as well as from many places on the Internet, including Amazon where I bought my copy.

The volume is well worth the rather expensive asking price.

[Lalee]

I don't think that we will ever know what sort of personal talks Alix may have had with her daughters, so who knows. In my personal opinion, she may not have said anything (I think she may have truly seen them still as much younger and was protective on which people they were to socialize with), but that doesn't mean that they didn't have the slightest bit of knowledge about things like that.

[LisaDavidson]

I agree with Raegan, it is likely that we will not know for certain what Alexandra told her children about "the facts of life". My grandmother told me that what was absent from this generation was comprehensive information in the way we now explain these matters. Very often, one would hear things from friends or siblings and much of the information was wrong - all in the name of keeping young women innocent.

[Michael HR]

I think I agree with this answer. Alexandra saw her children as kids and not grown up and who knows what would have happened.

I don't think that we will ever know what sort of personal talks Alix may have had with her daughters, so who knows. In my personal opinion, she may not have said anything (I think she may have truly seen them still as much younger and was protective on which people they were to socialize with), but that doesn't mean that they didn't have the slightest bit of knowledge about things like that.

[Halinka]

Yes, and they also grew up in a complely different time. With relgion as a major factor in there lives and by the end of there lives they proably knew the basic's but thought it was a meant for a man and wife.

[Grandduchess Valeria]

I've really heard a lot about Alexandra, but I wonder if she was a caring and loving mother esp. to her daughters for Alexei was always number one, wasn't he? I red she was a caring mother to the babys but strict and demanding to the girls when they were older. They didn't dare to speak one word against her opinion and some of the girls were more devoted to their affectionate father. So was Alix not that affectionate? I've red anywhere (it was a view from an ancestor) that the girls were sometimes nervously looking for any sign of her mother to meet her desires immediately...would like to know your point of view :-)

 

[Grandduchess Valeria]

It's maybe silly, but she always looks so severe and bad-tempered on fotos with her children...thats why I ask too. It's not a good impression not to see her one time with a charming smile. I would do so when I would be fotografed with my children. :-)

[Romanov_fan]

You also have to take into account smiling for pictures was not very common back then. People did not automatically smile when they got their picture taken like they do today. It is true though Alexandra did not smile a lot in public as she was too shy.

[Olga Maria]

They didn't dare to speak one word against her opinion and some of the girls were more devoted to their affectionate father. So was Alix not that affectionate? I've red anywhere (it was a view from an ancestor) that the girls were sometimes nervously looking for any sign of her mother to meet her desires immediately...would like to know your point of view :-)

Valeria, did you read that in Olga's wikipedia page, too? I read that there and it was said by Queen Marie of Romania.
Actually, I knew Alexandra as a strict mother. It's obvious that she will also nurture her children in a Victorian way as she herself was brought up in that way. Although she was strict, she didn't completely deprive her children of their happiness. If the Russian society were humble people and their Romano relatives are not rough-mannered (for those who were), she would have let OTMAA interact with them, right?  IMHO, she did the right things. OTMAA would be bad and undesirable people had she not been their mother.

[Sarushka]

There's already a good long thread on this very topic here:

Alexandra as Empress and Mother

I'd merge the threads for you guys, but I'm not a mod on this board.