Empower and Protect Their Children on Sex Matters. Sex education is one of the most critical conversations a parent will have with their children. It is not to push children toward sexual involvement; it is to provide them with facts, to instill in them a sense of respect for others and themselves, and to prepare them to make sound and healthy choices in life.
When children are taught what they need to know at home by trusted adults, they are more apt to reject misinformation spread through peer networks and on the Internet.
The appropriate age to begin is early, with discussions age-appropriately adjusted to each stage of the child’s development. Preschool children need to learn the names of body parts, the notion of personal boundaries, and the fact that nobody should be allowed to touch them in areas that have been labeled private, unless he or she is their parents or caregiver. Discussions should evolve over the course of many years and include pubertal changes, emotions and feelings, relationships, consent, online interactions, the health consequences of early sex activity and decision making related to sex. Rather than a one-time “sex talk” at age 12, discussions will take on a continuing format throughout the course of a child’s upbringing and adolescence.
It’s imperative to create a safe and judgment-free space in which children feel comfortable asking questions and can come to a parent for assistance without fear or embarrassment.
Active listening and genuine answers go a long way toward earning trust. In addition to addressing a child’s questions, discussions with him or her about peer pressure, the influence of the internet and social media, the ramifications of exchanging personal photos online and the danger of revealing private information are important. The process of teaching young people critical thinking skills in the face of potentially harmful information, in addition to teaching them about healthy relationships and sex, will give them the resources they need to survive the challenges they may encounter as young adults.
Discussions will teach children to respect others in healthy sexual and physical relationships and the significance of consent, to consider the impacts of their behaviors and decisions on themselves and on others. Teach children that they should take responsibility for their own sexuality and how they present themselves sexually to others, to be empathetic towards others’ feelings and to make responsible choices with their lives, sex lives and bodies. Help them develop confidence, assertiveness, and good decision-making skills so they can learn to refuse unwanted advances and to get help from adults they trust if they are in a precarious situation.
Ultimately, sex education will have its strongest influence when parents model behaviors that they would like to impart to their children, such as practicing respectful relationships and honest communication with each other and with their children, and demonstrating how to form and maintain appropriate, respectful, and healthy relationship.
Sex education will indeed be one lifelong process of providing advice, support, and comfort to children as they learn how to develop into healthy adults who know how to lead happy and fulfilling lives.
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