Modern parents may want to impart sex education to their kids, but they feel too shy to talk about it. In many countries across the globe, parents hardly talk about sex with their kids. They don’t even want to utter the word “sex”!
Before you decide to break the ice with your child, talk to your close friend or your doctor or child psychologist. They will help you start the sex conversation with your kid and help you shed your awkwardness.
They will also tell you the 10 most important points to incorporate – sexual knowledge in kids. Remember, if you feel uneasy while talking to your kid, this will send the wrong message to them. So, be confident and normal.
Here are a few tips that will help you to start talking.
How to start
- Begin a friendly conversation. It could be at your favorite uncrowded coffee shop or your car or any tranquil place.
- Look for opportunities to talk about sex, if you are uncomfortable starting the conversation right away. For example, you are watching television and an ad of condom pops up or something similar.
While talking to your teen
- Chances are that he/she might be knowing something about sex. They may even have done it!
- You need to be friendly and calm while talking to your teenagers. They must feel relaxed with you. For this, you yourselves need to be comfortable and confident.
- Always use real names for sex organs. Avoid pet names.
- If you learn your teen is sexually active, do not admonish or shame them ever. Sex is a normal biological act. Talk to them about safe sex.
- Do not lecture them or preach. They will hate you for this and never talk to you about sex, even if something goes wrong.
- Make them aware of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Tell your daughter that it is her decision to have sex or not. Nobody can coerce her to consent. Her body is hers. She should not come under peer pressure in this case.
- Teach your teen to respect his/her body and of the other.
In the new era, mothers or fathers should teach their sons to respect the sexuality of a girl and it is her right to say ‘no’ to sex. This can go a long way in creating respect for women when he is mature.
When to talk about sex with your child?
Nowadays, thanks to smartphones and the internet, kids are learning about sex earlier than before. The best time to talk is when they are 8 or 9 years of age. Start with educating them about body parts, private parts, good touch, bad touch, and more. As she grows up, her body changes. Talk about other sex-related issues like breast development, menstruation, and other.
Once she attains puberty, she should know what having sex is, safe sex, pregnancy, and more. Gone are the days when parents told their children that babies come from up the sky! It is time to tell them where exactly babies come from and how they are created.
