When should a child know who their biological father is?

[Anonymous]

Situation:

A married couple started the process of artificial insemination two months ago and the woman is successful pregnant. The sperm donor selected was one with similar features to not create confusion in the man's family. The child will still be the woman's bio child but not the man's. Due to his condition, he's unable to ever father a child. Basically never. He has already accepted the reality, agreed to AI and love/raise the baby as his.

The child will obviously call him dad. When should the child be told the truth about his dad not being his bio father?

[Anonymous]

From the start. You can start telling the child already as a baby and then tell him/her regularly even though they won’t understand becase it gives you lots of chances to ”practice” and get comfortable talking about it before the child understand what you’re saying and because there will never be a time they didn’t know. So no big reveal where they feel their whole life is a lie. I’ve heard therapists recommend this approach as well.

[Asker]

Good point indeed. Then the child will still see him as his dad (since he already committed to raising and loving the baby as his kid) even though it's not his bio father.

[HelpfulWoman]

i'd say as early as possible. reading books for instance that include such story lines (there's a fair few!) will help teach the child it's a normal thing that lots of couples choose to do. but the family should also be aware

[dustybiker2]

When it's not rape.

[Pterodon]

Immediately